The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has restricted all tv channels from broadcasting news about the brutal gang-rape that took place last month in Punjab province after an order was passed by a trial court on the request of the police.
"All satellite TV channels (news and current affairs) are therefore directed to comply with the orders of the honorable Anti-Terrorism Court, Lahore, regarding Sialkot motorway incident in letter and spirit and refrain from airing any content with regard to the instant case, in future," Dawn news quoted a directive issued by Pemra`s General Manager (Operations-Broadcast Media) Muhammad Tahir, as saying on Friday.
Investigating Officer (IO) Zulfiqar Cheema had filed an application before the ATC seeking a ban on media coverage of the incident. He pleaded that the incident was a heinous offence and the media was indulged in reckless coverage of the instant case.
Cheema further told the court that the media coverage of the incident had been creating obstacles in the arrest of the prime suspect.
In his decision, Presiding Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta admitted the contention of the IO and observed that due to media coverage the victim and the family will also be disgraced.
On September 9, a Pakistani woman was gang-raped in front of her children when she was on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after her car ran out of petrol. The accused had allegedly snatched the woman's purse and other valuables before fleeing from the spot.
The incident sparked national outrage, and then to fuel to the fire, the police officer investigating the incident blamed the victim for the rape on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway. In front of the Senate human rights panel, he had said that the incident took place as the woman was travelling late without her husband's permission.
After nearly a month after the incident took place, the Pakistani woman agreed to give her statement to the police.
