News Analysis |
Soon after the Supreme Court of Pakistan winded up a Suo Moto notice regarding the Lahore High Court’s verdict over the ban on contemptuous speeches, the social media exploded with the promotion of the perception that the Provincial High Court did not ban Nawaz Sharif and other members of the party from anti-judiciary tirade.
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, in the hearing on Tuesday, only decried the misinterpretation of the Lahore High Court verdict and singling out of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz regarding the ban, however, upheld the implementation of article 19 and 68 of the constitution which ensures the sanctity of the judiciary and prohibits anyone from anti-judiciary remarks.
In fact, the Lahore High Court order applies primarily to everyone including a common man, the only reason media misinterpreted the news was due to the pending applications before the Lahore High Court, regarding contempt proceedings against the Sharif family.
The Lahore High Court seems sharp, but in the opaque world of legal loopholes and social media liberty, Sharifs would be advocating their stance more vehemently, which would be muted, by hook or by crook inside Pakistan.
Though the Sharif family might be thinking that the apex court had extended an olive branch, the reality is diametrically opposite because the Supreme Court has now thrown weight behind its sub-ordinate judicial body, putting more pressure on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to censor the speeches deemed anti-judiciary.
The implementation of apex court’s order came the same day, when the specific chunks of Nawaz Sharif’s speech were censored, as he addressed a seminar focusing the restoration of ‘sanctity of vote’. There’s a method to the madness of Sharif family’s outburst against judiciary as the Sharif family is finding it hard to justify their position in the accountability court.
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The false narrative of ‘establishment’s power’ has been sold in past as well, however, the former ruling family is taking a strong exception to the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif in the backdrop of Panama Papers case, deflecting the blame to establishment, while evading to substantiate its business dealings.
Nawaz Sharif, who has served as the Chief Executive of the country for three times, knows it very well that instead of asserting his position as the most honest politician of the country, it’s easy and popular to bring in other power players and to blame them for his dismissal.
The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz ‘Quaid for life’ would also feel undeterred in the face of Lahore High Court’s ban because the tech-savvy Maryam Nawaz knows the art to promote the narrative of party on social media through Twitter trends and live broadcasts.
The Lahore High Court order applies primarily to everyone including a common man, the only reason media misinterpreted the news was due to the pending applications before the Lahore High Court, regarding contempt proceedings against the Sharif family.
Even on Tuesday, when the TV channels muted the former prime minister as he fired a broadside at the judiciary, Maryam Nawaz was broadcasting the speech of Nawaz Sharif, for not to miss any chance than to peddle the agenda launched after the Panama Papers case judgment.
Primarily, the Lahore High Court’s order has expanded the canvas of ban to all the political leaders, civil society, lawyers or anyone who rants against judiciary on media, with a particular mention of Faisal Raza Abidi, firebrand Pakistan People’s Party leader.
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The political rivals of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz are still casting aspirations regarding the decision of Lahore High Court, declaring it weak, though on the surface it seems too harsh.
The same Lahore High Court had directly barred the broadcasting of speeches made by Muttahida Qaumi Movement Chief Altaf Hussain, in 2015, however, for Nawaz Sharif, they entrusted a headless Pemra, which is structurally not efficient enough to keep an eye on the TV channels.
The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz ‘Quaid for life’ would also feel undeterred in the face of Lahore High Court’s ban because the tech-savvy Maryam Nawaz knows the art to promote the narrative of party on social media through Twitter trends and live broadcasts.
In fact with the latest embargo on Sharifs, they would be twisting the arms of media with more force, because the apex court has already barred the hefty spending on print media advertisements by the Punjab Government and when the TV channels would not air the anti-judiciary comments of elder Sharif and his fellows, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz would lure in more renowned faces to promote their narrative through their massive fan following on social media.
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Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam are proceeding to London on Wednesday and the former ruling family can prefer to interact with international media, considering Pemra’s jurisdiction would not apply in offshore domain and international media outlets would help them cajole the world leaders.
On the surface, the Lahore High Court seems sharp, but in the opaque world of legal loopholes and social media liberty, Sharifs would be advocating their stance more vehemently, which would be muted, by hook or by crook inside Pakistan.