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Islamabad: Minutes after it issued an order banning coverage of the vexed issue of restoration of judges, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday toned down its directive following protests by journalists and lawyers.
The court first ordered the electronic media not to air programmes related to the judiciary but later said that only those programmes that generate controversy will not be aired or telecast.
Almost all TV channels since the formation of the new government in March have been focusing on the issue of restoration of about 60 judges of superior courts who were sacked by President Pervez Musharraf on November 3 last year after he imposed the emergency.
Some judges including several of the Supreme Court and high courts took oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order showing allegiance to Musharraf. However, those who refused to do so, including former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, were sent home and some were put under house arrest.
Case
Yesterday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court was hearing a case against GEO television for airing a report that three judges of the apex court held a meeting with Interior Secretary Kamal Ali Shah.
Taking suo motu notice of the report, the court summoned GEO bureau chief Absar Alam.
Alam told the court that journalists were free to report provided they have concrete evidence.
The TV channel on May 8 aired the report with names of the three judges who it said met the interior secretary but the apex court denied the report in a statement.
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