LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has been asked to issue an order to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to stop all television channels from holding debate on sub judice matters.

Advocate M.H Mujahid made this request in a writ petition seeking enforcement of the Pemra Ordinance 2002, and not allowing any television channel to broadcast any programme or discussion on matter sub judice before a court of law.

The lawyer filed the petition through Advocate A.K Dogar pleading that it was a universally accepted principle that when a case was pending in a court the matter was saidto be sub-judice.

He said in Pakistan every day news anchors sit like judges and the participants of their programmes argued like lawyers.

Even the remarks made by judges of superior courts were subjected to scathing criticism, he added.

The petitioner pointed out that Section 20 clause (n) of the Pemra Ordinance says, `Not broadcast any programme or discussion on a matter which is sub judice.

He stated that the fundamental right of freedom of speech was neither uncontrolled nor unbridled.

The petitioner asked the court to order the Pemra to enforce its law and stop all television channels from holding programmes on sub judice matters.