Pakistan media watchdog imposes ban on live broadcasts of ex-PM Imran Khan’s speeches

Pakistan’s media watchdog has banned broadcasting live speeches of former prime minister Imran Khan on all satellite television channels with immediate effect, hours after he threatened state institutions and government officials while addressing a rally in Islamabad.

Khan, while addressing a public gathering here on Saturday, threatened to file cases against top police officials, a woman magistrate, Election Commission of Pakistan and political opponents over the treatment meted out to his aide Shahbaz Gill, who was arrested last week on charges of sedition.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in a communique issued on Saturday said that television channels despite repeated warnings had failed to implement a time-delay mechanism to stop the broadcast of material against “state institutions”.