Publication, telecast of news items about judges: Supreme Court restrains electronic, print media

The Supreme Court on Friday directed print and electronic media not to publish or telecast any news item in respect of the person of a judge in any capacity without proper verification and prior permission of the registrar of the court.A three-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Justice Mian Hamid Farooq and Justice Muhammad Farrukh Mahmud issued the order, here on Friday. The Supreme Court took a suo motu action on a report appearing in a section of the press regarding the alleged meeting of some judges of the superior court with a senior government official on May 8. The order says that the print and electronic media is hereby directed that in future no TV channel or newspaper will publish or telecast any news item in respect of the person of a judge in any capacity or publish his photograph in the newspaper or display on TV as the case may be, without proper verification and prior permission of the registrar of this court. In addition, the print and electronic media will also not publish any news item regarding the orders of the court or telecast on TV without the verification of the correctness and contents of the order from public relations officer of the Supreme Court.The Chairman, Pemra and Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan, have been asked by the court to appear in person and produce the code of conduct of the print and electronic media, according to the court order.The court directed that the order shall be conveyed on Friday to the concerned quarters for immediate action and implementation. The court also desired that senior lawyers Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada and Waseem Sajjad should assist the court in the matter and adjourned the hearing till May 12.