Ansar Abbasi & Vulgarity on GEO TV of Jang Group.

No consensus on definition of ‘obscenity’ for TV our correspondent Tuesday, August 28, 2012 ISLAMABAD: Experts and politicians on Monday appeared sharply divided on how to define the parameters of ‘obscenity’ for the media content. But majority of them agreed once a code of ethics was thrashed out it should be adhered to in letter and spirit. The growing trend of re-enactment and dramatisation of crimes on almost all television channels under the garb of investigative journalism was castigated and some experts wondered why the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was not taking enough measures to halting it. It was noted with deep concern that under the pretext of entertainment news, indecency and vulgarity was being aired by the media outlets. Pemra held a consultative session here at its headquarters, which took strong exception to the absence of TV owners’ representatives and cable operators, and billed it as non-seriousness on their part as they were (direct) stakeholders with regard to reflection of viewers. Former Amir of Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Muhammad Hussain Mehanti of JI, Oriya Maqbool Jan, Lt Gen (R) Qayyum and senior journalist Ansar Abbasi pointed out that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and the Constitution clearly envisaged that there could be nothing against the Quran, Sunnah and Shariah. Qazi during his presentation referred to the relevant Surahs of the Quran and some explicit clauses of Indecent Advertisement Act of 1963, which interpreted vulgarity, were also cited in this connection. They specifically criticised news channels for spreading vulgarity in the guise of entertainment news. He strongly objected to showing vulgar (mujra) dances and songs in every headline. Qazi, Ansar and Mehanti unanimously recommended referring the matter to the Council of Islamic Ideology and parliament to define the terms obscenity and vulgarity. Besides, they called for immediate closure of all illegal channels. These experts were of the view that ‘any content, which was unacceptable while viewing with the family, was obscene’ and urged measures to halt the airing of such content.They also recommended formation of a committee to screen out unwanted content from TV advertisements as well as regulating the rating of TV channels. These experts noted that TV ads contained stuff that could in no way be telecast for public viewing. REFERENCE: No consensus on definition of ‘obscenity’ for TV our correspondent Tuesday, August 28, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-128675-No-consensus-on-definition-of-obscenity-for-TV Ansar Abbasi Fatwa and Qazi Hussain Ahmed Petition n Supreme Court Daily Jang 2 July 2012 

Bushra Ansari hot in Red Saree Belly visible and dances as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uiWHXvTEi8

Faahisha (Harlot): Imran Khan, Ansar Abbasi and Jamat-e-Islami. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2012/07/faahisha-harlot-imran-khan-ansar-abbasi.html

Javed Jabbar, Dr Mehdi Hassan, Muhammad Ziauddin, Mazhar Abbas, Kamran Khawaja and representatives of Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS), United Producers Association and Pemra officials were present on the occasion. The Chairman Pemra briefed participants about various terminologies, connotations and expressions used to define obscenity in different countries. Javed Jabbar and Dr Mehdi Hassan on the other hand defended that the media was not all about vulgarity. There might be 10 percent of total content objectionable but the rest of media in Pakistan was doing fine. They said that technological advancements and cultural dynamism could not be enslaved in a rigid canvas. Cultural ethos varied from passage of time. Javed Jabbar opposed involving the Council of Islamic Ideology in defining obscenity. He said that it was a perplexed matter and would be difficult to evolve consensus thereon. Dr Mehdi Hassan said that if something was undesirable to watch, you have the option to switch over to any other channel or completely switch off your TV. It would be wrong to hamper technological advancements instead of grooming and training our offspring. “We absolve ourselves of the responsibility by not teaching them good or bad and then shed our responsibility by putting iron curtains on media,” he said. Dr Mehdi Hassan further said that obscenity could not be confined only to ill dressed models on TV channels but to him child labour, injustice to minorities, social imbalance, poverty, hunger and disloyal politicians were also obscene. Why the custodians of morality do not account for these issues? Ziauddin, the veteran journalist, strongly endorsed view point of Javed Jabbar and Dr. Mehdi Hassan. He, however, proposed appointing an ombudsman for every media institution to ensure accountability. Ms Sameena Ahmed, TV artist and producer, from United Producers Association and Aly Mustansir from Pakistan Advertisers Society said that vulgarity was a relative term and could not be invoked by a select group of people. These experts proposed taking input from entire society on the issue. They were of the view that they reflected public aspirations in their programmes/advertisements and a thorough research was conducted before launching any content. They denied that the advertisements and dramas produced by them contravened Islamic values. They however, agreed to comply with the code if it is unanimously accepted and adopted. Mazhar Abbas, a senior journalist, disagreed to the proposal of censoring media by blaming it for vulgarity. He suggested formulating an independent commission with no involvement of stakeholder in order to deal with the media violation issues. The participants, however, unanimously agreed and suggested Pemra to invoke its laws across the board and desired zero tolerance for violation of Pemra laws particularly the illegal channels and illegal content. The Chairman Pemra thanked participants for sparing valuable time for this consensual and national cause and ensured that all possible measures would be taken within the ambit of Pemra laws to curb violations. The next meeting on the subject was proposed in the mid of September whereby the owners of TV channels and cable operators would also be involved in this constructive consultation process. A senior Pemra official told The News that in mid-September, another consultative session would be held with the representatives of TV channels and cable operators. REFERENCE: No consensus on definition of ‘obscenity’ for TV our correspondent Tuesday, August 28, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-128675-No-consensus-on-definition-of-obscenity-for-TV  Sub Say Bara Masala by Nusrat Javed Daily Express 30 Aug 2012

Karina Kapoor Kay Sath Pakistan Tv Par Taang Utha Kay Geo! Geo Bahi Geo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71EA8_GRXmk

Islam Doesn't Allow Women To Become TV Host, Guest and Newscaster http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/02/islam-doesnt-allow-women-to-become-tv.html

Letter to Ansar Abbasi on vulgarity Thursday, 23 August 2012 20:31 by Farooq Sulehria Isn’t it strange that you consider vulgarity on Geo TV to be Haram [unIslamic] and immoral. However, the income you pocket every month from this vulgarity is Halal and moral - Dear Mr. Ansar Abbasi, When I recently heard about your latest crusade against vulgarity and obscenity, planned in connivance with our puritan Chief Qazi, I could not help laughing aloud. By moving the Supreme Court against obscenity and vulgarity on television channels, you have indeed exposed the bankruptcy of the Moral Brigade’s policing of women’s bodies. Not that I don’t find Pakistani TV channels vulgar and obscene. I become uneasy when girls are paraded half naked by multinationals to sell toothpaste, shampoo, mobile sets, underwear etc. However, I do not consider it my business to suggest or try to mandate what women should or should not wear. I oppose dress codes imposed under any pretext. But this is not the place or occasion to engage in this debate.

I also find the talk shows that you regularly appear on, where everybody is shouting at each other, extremely vulgar.

I find the news segments on Pakistani TV channels very vulgar. These segments are crude, banal and trifling. They completely trivialize the public narratives.

I find soap operas, the unreal “reality” shows, and the cooking shows to be very vulgar attempts to promote consumerism in a society where 40 percent of the population live below the poverty line.

Alims online, ex pop singers posing as televangelists and born-again cricketing Muslims are among the most vulgar things on mini screens. Incidentally, they are generously accommodated on Geo TV.

For years you have been working with the Jang Group, the country’s largest media house. Jang-owned Geo TV is the largest channel in the country. According to a Viewpoint study on ad expenditures, Geo garners the lion’s share (According to a Viewpoint source even the present PPP government has made Jang Group the largest beneficiary of government advertisements.)

My dear Ansar Abbasi, we both know very well that your wages are paid out of Jang Group’s income, income derived from these vulgar and obscene ads in which half-naked girls engage in objectionable dialogues and flaunt such objectionable gestures that you cannot watch them with your family.

Isn’t it strange that you consider vulgarity on Geo TV to be Haram [unIslamic] and immoral. However, the income you pocket every month from this vulgarity is Halal and moral. You remind me of a pimp who considers prostitutes to be sinners and immoral but unscrupulously pockets the income from pimping. In all honesty it is not your contradictions that I find ridiculous. It is your hypocrisy that I find disgusting. You claim that you find it difficult to watch vulgar Pakistani TV channels with your family. I wonder who you were with when you watched the Swat video. Were you alone or were others alongside you?

I watched it alone. When I saw a helpless girl pinned to ground and mercilessly flogged by a bearded brute, I felt ashamed for being man. I found that Swat video more vulgar than any pornography.

Unfortunately, even when in the wave of public outrage, the Taliban began to disown the video [while your comrade in arms Orya Maqbool Jan declared it a fake ) you had the gall to appear on Geo to declare that condemning the Swat video was an insult to Sharia. In your view, flogging the Swat girl was in line with divine teachings and the flogging Taliban only did their Quranic duty. What I find even more hypocritical about Media Mujahideen like you is your betrayal of your class. It is not a coincidence that all the Media Mujahideen enjoy great rapport with media owners. They draw good salaries and benefit from many perks. On the other hand I have never seen Media Mujahideen struggling for the Wage Board Award. In recent years media workers have lost their hard won rights. Is it not extremely vulgar that a desperate Khabrain worker, a couple of years ago, committed suicide because his wages had not been paid for months? Days before Eid, a woman journalist in Lahore committed suicide for the same reason. Hundreds of workers have been laid off by all the major and minor media houses in recent months. Is it not extremely vulgar that while these media barons continue to lay off workers in the name of lost profits they manage to come up with enough capital to start new media ventures? While all this vulgarity has been happening right before your eyes, you have been looking the other way. In my view, poverty is the worst form of vulgarity. In the words of Sahir Luhianvi, Muflisi his e litafat mita daity hay [poverty ends decency.] In my humble view child labour, feudalism, capitalist exploitation, child abuse [so widespread at madrassas], honour killings, forced conversions, discrimination against religious minorities, domestic violence, hefty military budgets, foreign debt, puritan violence, Hazara killings, Lashkar e Toiba’s jihad, environmental pollution, nuclear waste from your Islamic bomb, in fact the entire system you so vigorously defend, is extremely vulgar. The most vulgar aspect of all of this is Chief Qazi himself. Instead of playing the moral cop flaunting his rosary in front of press cameras, he should have resigned the day his son Arsalan Iftikhar was caught committing vulgarity. REFERENCE: Letter to Ansar Abbasi on vulgarity Thursday, 23 August 2012 20:31 by Farooq Sulehria AUGUST 24, 2012 ONLINE ISSUE NO. 115 http://www.viewpointonline.net/letter-to-ansar-abbasi-on-vulgarity.html

Shazia Manzoor - Ballay Ballay (Dolly Ki Aayegi Baraat)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5pTkFzGP4I

Jang Group/Geo TV Promote "KUFR (Disbelief) and Bida'at (Innovation) but LECTURES. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/07/jang-groupgeo-tv-promote-kufr-disbelief.html

Ansar Abbasi once again finds himself at the center of controversy, this time not because of what he wrote in an article published by The News or Daily Jang but because of what he wrote in an article not published by his employer. This latest incident has resulted in that unique situation where conservatives demand an end to censorship and liberals demand more of Abbasi’s writing. But is there really a controversy here? Or is it another storm in a tea cup? Ironically, in the article that was supposedly censored, Ansar Abbasi complains at great length about cable operators and media owners showing ‘Indian culture’ which is, according to Abbasi, filled with vulgarity and nudity. He goes on to complain that nobody is doing anything about it. For example, censoring it. So here we have a situation in which a writer who is demanding greater censorship is now complaining that he has been censored? Some might term that as blatant hypocrisy, but such a label is unwarranted. After all, Abbasi was never censored. Why do I say Ansar Abbasi was not censored? For the same reason that I – and everyone else – knows what he wrote. It was published on the website of Saach.TV. http://www.saach.tv/2012/08/13/ansar-abbassis-unpublished-article/ This should not be difficult to understand. If Saach TV published the article, it wasn’t censored. Now, some will respond that it was censored by Jang, where Abbasi is employed and where the piece was originally filed. But this raises an important question: Are media groups obligated to publish any foolish thing that they are given? What if Ansar Abbasi’s piece had not been anti-India but had been about how Krishna came to him in a dream and now he has converted to Hindu and that he calls on all Muslims to abandon their faith. Would it be censorship if Jang chose not to publish it? Media groups like Jang are private businesses, and with the growth of private media groups, there is competition between them for an audience. The Nation is not obligated to publish pieces by Marvi Sirmed, and Dawn TV is not obligated to broadcast a show hosted by Zaid Hamid. Freedom of the press means that a media group has the right to report whatever it wants, but it also means the same media group has the right not to publish what it doesn’t want. In this case, Ansar Abbasi submitted a piece to Jang and for whatever reason the editors there chose not to publish it. Maybe they thought it was embarrassingly stupid. Maybe they just didn’t have space for it. Does that mean that Abbasi’s pro-censorship article went unread? Obviously not. Another media group, Saach TV chose to publish it and now it is widely available. PEMRA has not issued any order to destroy all copies, and Army is not storming media offices or placing Abbasi under arrest. In short, nothing has been censored at all. Article 19 grants every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression and protects freedom of the press. Article 19A grants every citizen the right to access information in all matters of public importance. Nowhere, however, does the Constitution grant every citizen the fundamental right to be published in a newspaper. Ansar Abbasi has the right to write whatever he wants. And Jang has the right to decide whether or not they believe his writing is worth publishing. That’s not censorship, it’s editing. REFERENCES: Freedom of Speech and Censorship of Ansar Abbasi http://pakistanmediawatch.com/2012/08/13/freedom-of-speech-and-censorship-of-ansar-abbasi/ Ansar Abbasi’s unpublished article August 13, 2012 http://www.saach.tv/2012/08/13/ansar-abbassis-unpublished-article/

10th Lux Style Awards Pt 2 8 2011 - Main Event - Pt 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTqynWbZxWg

Business Recorder/AAJ TV "Justifies" Salman Taseer's Murder and Support Martial Law. http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2011/01/business-recorderaaj-tv-justifies.html

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has converted the letters of Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati against obscenity and vulgarity on the media into a petition and issued notices to chairmen PTA and Pemra and has fixed it for hearing on July 27, 2012. The petition is marked 104/2012 and the case will be heard in the open court on Friday. The SC order issued on Wednesday titled “Regarding control of obscene and other objectionable material carried in the media” reads: “Take notice that three separate letters were received from Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmad, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, ex-Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Karachi on the subject cited above and on placing all these letters before the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan. His lordship was pleased to call reports from chairman PTA and Chairman Pemra. After perusal of the said reports, the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan was pleased to pass the following order; ‘Treat this matter as petition under article 184(3). Put up in court. Notice to attorney general, chairman Pemra and to petitioners be issued for 27.07.2012.’ “Take further notice that the matter has been registered as the Constitutional petition No 104/2012 and is fixed for hearing on 27.07.2012 in Court House Islamabad.”The major issues regarding obscenity highlighted in the petition involve airing of illegal Indian channels through cable network, obscene and vulgar dramas on Pakistani channels, immoral advertisements on TV channels, illegal CD channels distributed by cable networks in connivance with Pemra, and in particular the entertainment segments in the news bulletins on Pakistani news channels. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media Qazi Hussain Ahmed Daily Jang 10 August 2012http://e.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=08-10-2012/Karachi/images/11_07.gif Friday, August 10, 2012, Ramazan ul Mubarak 21, 1433 A.H. http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2012-daily/10-08-2012/col2.htm

Imran Khan's Illegitimate Girl Child & Corruption Reference (Bolta Pakistan 2007)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQjxpc3vePI

Adultery of Imran Khan is also Vulgarity and Obscenity

MQM vs Imran Khan and Sita White Illegitimate Child Tyrian Jade http://www.scribd.com/doc/102551755/MQM-vs-Imran-Khan-and-Sita-White-Illegitimate-Child-Tyrian-Jade
MQM vs Imran Khan and Sita White Illegitimate Child Tyrian Jade

Following complaints from the two respected public figures, the Human Rights Cell of the apex court, following CJ’s direction, had sought views from chairman Pemra and chairman PTA, both of whom have given routine bureaucratic responses without any concrete assurance that the menace would be effectively checked and controlled. Chairman Pemra in his response to the Supreme Court wrote: “The local market is flooded with smuggled and pirated CDs, DVDs, decoders, dishes and cards, which are proliferating obscenity through broadcast media and distribution service. On its part, Pemra took action against distribution and sale of illegal decoders and seized the equipment of Zee TV package. This action was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the court was pleased to suspend the seizure. Consequent to which Pemra had to return the equipment. Nevertheless, Pemra has not stopped its efforts in this regard. It may kindly be appreciated that Pemra cannot fully eradicate this menace and it will only be possible with coordinated efforts of all other relevant agencies as well.” It is important to mention here that whenever the Supreme Court takes up the issue of obscenity and vulgarity some objectionable Indian TV channels are closed for a few days but they stage a comeback. Even on Wednesday when the Supreme Court issued this latest order and fixed the case for Friday, sources told The News that Indian TV channels were closed in some big cities. Sources say a huge amount of money is involved in allowing illegal CD channels, distribution of illegal Indian TV channels and in many other similar illegal acts. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media Qazi Hussain Ahmed Daily Jang 10 August 2012http://e.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=08-10-2012/Karachi/images/11_07.gif Friday, August 10, 2012, Ramazan ul Mubarak 21, 1433 A.H. http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2012-daily/10-08-2012/col2.htm 

Ansar Abbasi & Vulgarity / Obscenity.

General Ziaul Haq offering Prayers behind Ayatollah Khomeini --- It is this cherry picking of issues, petitioners and the amicus curiae that raise serious concerns about the ideological agenda of the Pakistani Supreme Court -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken the hapless acting chairperson of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA), Mr Abdul Jabbar to task again. Remember the grainy video of the chairperson being grilled by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while presiding over a full court meeting recently? At that time, he had come under fire after a ‘planted’ interview of the Bahria Town fame Malik Riaz was aired on a private television channel. It is pertinent to recall details of that episode as the august court has developed a penchant for taking up serious, yet simple issues, with an unusual populist sensationalism. In that video the Chief Justice was seen sitting at the head of the table, which had his brother judges comfortably occupying the other seats. The PEMRA chairperson was then called to the front and made to stand next to the Chief Justice. There did not appear to be a chair for him there and neither was one offered to him. The chairperson, with a stack of files under his arm, stood there literally trembling. The spectacle was reminiscent of a harsh schoolmaster chastising his unruly student. Now the chairperson himself was not an accused in the matter and obviously not a serf of the Supreme Court to have been subjected to such humiliation. To add insult to injury, the whole episode was being recorded and was subsequently released to the media. With whose permission the cameras were allowed in that room, we might never know. The release of the video was never probed or owned by the court. No matter what the rationale behind the court’s decision to let the poor man’s ordeal be televised, this is certainly not what is meant by the adage that justice must also be seen to have been done. But this time around the honourable court was apparently relaying its displeasure on certain ‘objectionable’ programmes being televised on various channels in Pakistan. The court has taken upon itself, inter alia, to act as the moral police or more accurately as the nation’s nanny. It has set out to decide for the people what is, or is not, vulgar or obscene. The three-member bench of the SC was deliberating on a letter filed by the former Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Justice (retired) Wajihuddin of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf against what they alleged was obscenity on the television channels. The court also quoted columns by Ansar Abbasi and Orya Maqbool Jan, apparently thanking them for their columns that pointed out the vulgarity on television. The court claimed that the television channels were spreading vulgarity and PEMRA had done nothing to stop them. It has ordered the PEMRA chairperson to submit a detailed report by August 13 about the TV programmes spreading vulgarity. According to this newspaper of record, during the proceedings, the honourable Chief Justice remarked, “We can’t watch TV with our families due to this vulgarity. He said PEMRA would be responsible if obscenity was shown on TV channels. He also said some vulgar programmes were being aired even during Iftar, which should be avoided.” It is this cherry picking of issues, petitioners and the amicus curiae that raise serious concerns about the ideological agenda of the Pakistani Supreme Court. Some of us do remember General Ziaul Haq’s brutal Islamisation unleashed in the name of amr bil ma’roof wa nahi anil munkar (ordering for acknowledged virtues and forbidding from sin) and the Chador aur Chardiwari ka Tahaffuz (preserving the sanctity of the women’s cloak and abode) and are concerned that this is where the nanny court may be headed. REFERENCE: COMMENT : The nanny court — Dr Mohammad Taqi Thursday, August 09, 2012 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C08%5C09%5Cstory_9-8-2012_pg3_2

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 1


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCvPhHQtWhc

Much needed to be done to define ‘vulgarity’: CJ: ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Monday said that a lot needed to be done to arrive at a definition of vulgarity, DawnNews reported. A three judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar was hearing a petition filed by Justice (retd) Wajihuddin and former Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed against obscenity aired on TV channels. In his remarks, the chief justice said had members of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) done their job right, obscenity could have been controlled. He said he did not want anyone to say that restrictions were imposed on broadcast material without hearing the points-of-view of concerned parties. The chief justice advised the Pemra to assemble together all the stakeholders and reach a stance on the matter. Moreover, Justice Khawaja remarked that 10 years had passed and Pemra had yet to arrive at a conclusive definition of vulgarity. Every individual had their own interpretation of vulgarity and obscenity, he added. Previously, the Supreme Court had expressed its surprise when the Pemra had stated that the government had neither a policy to monitor TV programmes, especially of foreign channels, nor did it have a clear definition of obscenity. REFERENCE: Much needed to be done to define ‘vulgarity’: CJ DAWN.COM | 13th August, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/08/13/much-needed-to-be-done-to-define-vulgarity-cj/

Mullahs are Preoccupied with Sex and Sexual Intercourse:) Fatawa Alamgeere Par Aik Nazar by Khawaja Muhammad Qasim http://www.scribd.com/doc/100252203/Fatawa-Alamgeere-Par-Aik-Nazar-by-Khawaja-Muhammad-Qasim

Fatawa Alamgeere Par Aik Nazar by Khawaja Muhammad Qasim

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5QsMJokImc

No policy to check TV programmes, SC told ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: The Supreme Court was surprised on Monday when the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) stated that the government had neither a policy to monitor TV programmes, especially of foreign channels, nor it had a clear definition of obscenity. Pemra’s acting chairman Abdul Jabbar was of the opinion that obscenity or vulgarity was a relative term because a programme might appear to be vulgar to some people but not offensive to others. But the court corrected him by citing Section 20c of the Pemra Ordinance and Code of Conduct for Media Broadcasters and Cable Operators which prohibits airing of obscene, pornographic or any programme injurious to public morality and against basic cultural norms and values. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Tariq Parvez had taken up a petition of former Jamaat-i-Islami Amir Qazi Hussain Ahmed and a letter by Justice (retd) Wajhiuddin Ahmed to the chief justice on which a notice had been issued to the Pemra chairman. Besides, articles were also published in the print media about the airing of illegal Indian channels through cable network, obscene and vulgar dramas, immoral advertisements and entertainment segments during news bulletins on Pakistani channels and illegal CD channels by cable operators in connivance with Pemra. The court also objected to the airing of press conferences and talk shows against the judiciary and asked the Pemra’s acting chairman to submit a comprehensive report about such programmes by August 13. Advocate Tauseef Asif, representing Qazi Hussain, regretted that the institution of judiciary was being abused with impunity on different channels and said that Pemra should clarify the issue of landing rights of foreign channels, especially of Indian channels. REFERENCE: No policy to check TV programmes, SC told From the Newspaper | Nasir Iqbal | 7th August, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/08/07/no-policy-to-check-tv-programmes-sc-told/ Ansar Abbasi’s unpublished article August 13, 2012 http://www.saach.tv/2012/08/13/ansar-abbassis-unpublished-article/

“The court is aware about programmes solely aimed at maligning the judiciary,” the chief justice observed. The court was also critical of prevalence of vulgarity in television programmes and regretted that Pemra was acting as a silent spectator and doing nothing to prevent them. “It is the duty of Pemra to ensure that no obscene programme is aired.” The court noted in its order that the Pemra chairman had come up with no satisfactory answer and said it could assist the organisation if it was unable to discourage the tendency of airing obscene programmes. “We can help if it concerns the public interest and public rights,” the chief justice said. The acting chairman informed the court that Pemra monitored 54 channels round the clock and recently issued a show-cause notice to a private television channel for airing an interview of TV actor Veena Malik. But he regretted that channels did not comply with its orders. Abdul Jabbar again failed to satisfy the court when asked to provide a list of cases where Pemra action had been stayed by courts. He only said that an appeal was pending in a court against a private channel. The court asked him to categorise programmes with proper ratings as were done in the West so that people should know what they were watching. Deputy Attorney General Dil Mohammad Alizai also highlighted the prevalence of parodies and caricatures of politicians in an insulting manner, but the court defended such programmes and said these were in good taste and humorous. REFERENCE: No policy to check TV programmes, SC told From the Newspaper | Nasir Iqbal | 7th August, 2012 http://dawn.com/2012/08/07/no-policy-to-check-tv-programmes-sc-told/

Ansar Abbasi’s unpublished article August 13, 2012 http://www.saach.tv/2012/08/13/ansar-abbassis-unpublished-article/

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hig1M3JkT3Y

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 4


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7dDMdRupT4

Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan and Objective Resolution:) SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has converted the letters of Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati against obscenity and vulgarity on the media into a petition and issued notices to chairmen PTA and Pemra and has fixed it for hearing on July 27, 2012. The petition is marked 104/2012 and the case will be heard in the open court on Friday. The SC order issued on Wednesday titled “Regarding control of obscene and other objectionable material carried in the media” reads: “Take notice that three separate letters were received from Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmad, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, ex-Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Karachi on the subject cited above and on placing all these letters before the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan. His lordship was pleased to call reports from chairman PTA and Chairman Pemra. After perusal of the said reports, the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan was pleased to pass the following order; ‘Treat this matter as petition under article 184(3). Put up in court. Notice to attorney general, chairman Pemra and to petitioners be issued for 27.07.2012.’ “Take further notice that the matter has been registered as the Constitutional petition No 104/2012 and is fixed for hearing on 27.07.2012 in Court House Islamabad.”The major issues regarding obscenity highlighted in the petition involve airing of illegal Indian channels through cable network, obscene and vulgar dramas on Pakistani channels, immoral advertisements on TV channels, illegal CD channels distributed by cable networks in connivance with Pemra, and in particular the entertainment segments in the news bulletins on Pakistani news channels.

Following complaints from the two respected public figures, the Human Rights Cell of the apex court, following CJ’s direction, had sought views from chairman Pemra and chairman PTA, both of whom have given routine bureaucratic responses without any concrete assurance that the menace would be effectively checked and controlled. Chairman Pemra in his response to the Supreme Court wrote: “The local market is flooded with smuggled and pirated CDs, DVDs, decoders, dishes and cards, which are proliferating obscenity through broadcast media and distribution service. On its part, Pemra took action against distribution and sale of illegal decoders and seized the equipment of Zee TV package. This action was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the court was pleased to suspend the seizure. “Consequent to which Pemra had to return the equipment. Nevertheless, Pemra has not stopped its efforts in this regard. It may kindly be appreciated that Pemra cannot fully eradicate this menace and it will only be possible with coordinated efforts of all other relevant agencies as well.” It is important to mention here that whenever the Supreme Court takes up the issue of obscenity and vulgarity some objectionable Indian TV channels are closed for a few days but they stage a comeback. Even on Wednesday when the Supreme Court issued this latest order and fixed the case for Friday, sources told The News that Indian TV channels were closed in some big cities. Sources say a huge amount of money is involved in allowing illegal CD channels, distribution of illegal Indian TV channels and in many other similar illegal acts. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media Objectives Resolution is passed - Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan and  Objective Resolution http://storyofpakistan.com/objectives-resolution-is-passed/ Ansar Abbasi Fatwa and Qazi Hussain Ahmed Petition n Supreme Court Daily Jang 2 July 2012

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 5


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0nrCk0S76g

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, Deoband & Sex Education - 6


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_d3cGHv72U

Imran clear about dress code for women, in private and in public ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, Imran Khan, who had a good day in Karachi on Sunday, says that under his rule no law will be made against Quran and Sunnah. He also hints that the likes of Veena Malik, the actress who remained centre of controversy for a nude photo shoot for an international magazine, would not be allowed to do so in Imran’s Pakistan. While replying to questions asked by The News regarding his Islamic view and vision of Islamic socialism, Imran Khan said that under his rule ‘no law can be made against the Quran and Sunnah.’ Analysts however say both these views of Imran Khan are not contradictory as women can be allowed to wear whatever they like in their private lives but where public morality issues are involved a more Islamic and stricter code of ethics can be followed. This is done in many open and free western countries as well. When asked on a television channel about his views about dress code for women, Imran replied that ‘clearly Veena Malik types cannot do so in Pakistan.’ It is worth mentioning here that Imran, in a television channel, had said that Pakistan will not be a country which would put a bar on dress code for women and women who will be free to wear anything. Tongues are wagging as to how Imran will take the liberal and secular elite along with religious minded people, as both are his supporters. There are many Pakistanis who wish to see the ethical principles of Islam play a more active role in public life. In his book “Pakistan: A Personal History,” Imran Khan referred to Allama Iqbal as the ideological father of the nation, and added that “Iqbal’s teachings have inspired me to a great extent.” In the book, Imran calls Islam a “comprehensive blueprint for how Muslims should live in accordance with the highest ideals and best practices of Islam.” Imran Khan wrote: “If we follow Iqbal’s teachings, we can reverse the growing gap between Westernized rich and traditional poor that helps fuel fundamentalism.” REFERENCE: Imran clear about dress code for women, in private and in public our correspondent Monday, December 26, 2011 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-84221-Imran-clear-about-dress-code-for-women-in-private-and-in-public

GEO TV / Jang Group: Judiciary, Vulgarity & Obscenity.

Finally, all of us can go to sleep in peace with the newly acquired knowledge that My Lord, the Chief Justice remains vigilant as ever to ensure that no vulgarity slips through the cracks on our television channels on his watch and the Pemra chief can no longer slack in his duties. My Lord, with customary wisdom, has observed that there are certain programmes and advertisements that one finds unbearable to watch alongside with the family. This exercise of the “paternal” jurisdiction of the court and the fact that the Chief Justice is a “family man” is infinitely comforting. It might be interesting to mention that My Lord is not always the brilliant, stoic, sober statesmanlike, paragon of justice and has a human, lighter side to his personality as well as indicated by his remarks in court that the parodies of politicians are in “good humour” and “are enjoyed”. As we swoon in relief on the consolation of being under the eternal, paternal gaze of My Lord, one is also conscious of a slight unease. Dr Arsalan Iftikhar is hard to banish from the mind. The latest, although unconfirmed news report about Dr Arsalan using the address of the Chief Justice House for commercial purposes is unnerving to say the least. REFERENCE: Ward of the Court By Saroop Ijaz Published: August 11, 2012 http://tribune.com.pk/story/420805/ward-of-the-court/

Ansar Abbasi’s unpublished article August 13, 2012

http://www.saach.tv/2012/08/13/ansar-abbassis-unpublished-article/

Javed Chudhary Vs Ansaar Abbasi


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enZ-AWpRw9Y

KARACHI - In a joint meeting of cable operators and TV channel-owners on Wednesday it was decided that the Supreme Court’s proceedings in a case against them with regards to obscenity, illegal Indian channels and a ban on senior journalist Ansar Abbasi from appearing in any program would be blacked out. It was decided that even top anchors would be bound by their respective managements not to touch these issues. Almost all owners or senior executives of top Pakistani channels including ARY, Geo, and Express “bowed” to the blackmailing tactics of the cable operators and agreed to follow the decision of the Cable Operators Association. According to sources, cable operators had threatened TV channel-owners that if they did not follow the decision, their channels would be put at the end of the tuning list in distribution networks across the country. They also demanded sacking of Ansar Abbasi, however this demand was not met. The Cable Operators Association decided to counter the Supreme Court’s recent actions against obscenity and illegal Indian channels being shown on cable networks around the country. Cable Operator Association Chairman Khalid Arain, along with two dozen members, interacted with media owners/directors and none of the owners dared to defend the freedom of speech as they were threatened of being “taught a lesson” in case the cable operators’ businesses were hurt. The cable operators made it clear that they would not accept any demand for the closure of illegal Indian channels particularly Star Plus and Sony which brought them money. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Jawwad S Khawaja and Justice Tariq Parvez had taken up a petition of former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and a letter by Justice (r) Wajhiuddin Ahmed to the chief justice on which a notice had been issued to the PEMRA chairman. The cable association members clearly told the channel owners to completely blackout the Supreme Court’s proceedings in the case, which was expected to issue a strict order against illegal Indian channels and the unchecked obscenity. REFERENCE: Cable operators blackmail media houses into blacking out SC proceedings in obscenity case Thursday, 9 Aug 2012 5:40 am http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/08/09/news/national/cable-operators-blackmail-media-houses-into-blacking-out-sc-proceedings-in-obscenity-case/

Cable operators accuse Geo, Jang of 'blackmail' 31-October 2010


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETwDSAm7gSI

پیمرا ٹھیک کام کرے تو فحاشی روکنا ممکن ہے، چیف جسٹس

پیر 13 اگست 2012

http://urdu.dawn.com/2012/08/13/much-needed-to-be-done-to-define-vulgarity-cj/

چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری۔—فائل فوٹو

اسلام آباد: چیف جسٹس افتخار محمد چوہدری نے ریمارکس دیئے کہ اگر پیمرا کے ارکان ٹھیک کام کرتے تو فحاشی پر قابو پایا جاسکتا تھا۔

ان کا کہنا تھا کہ فحاشی کی تعریف کے لیے بہت سا کام کر نا ھوگا۔

چیف جسٹس نے چیئرمین پیمرا کو ہدایت کی کہ تمام شراکت داروں کو بٹھا کر اپنا کام مکمل کریں۔

عدالت کوپیمرا کے قائم مقام چیئرمین ڈاکٹر عبدالجبار نے بتایا کہ ادارہ ا فحاشی کو روکنے کیلئے ہر ممکن اقدامات کرتاہے، جبکہ،سی ڈی والے چینل پر فحاشی کی زیادہ شکایات ملتی ہیں۔ ان کا کہنا تھا کہ فرقہ واریت پھیلانے والے ٹی وی چینل کو بھاری جرمانے کئے ہیں۔ پیمرا چیئرمین نے کہا کہ کیبل آپریٹرز اور ٹی وی چینلز کو فحاشی پر نوٹس دیئے ہیں۔

چیف جسٹس نے کہا کہ یہ محض دکھا وا لگتا ہے،کچھہ ایسے معا ملات ہیں جن پر ھنگامی اقدامات اٹھائے جا سکتے ہیں، پیمر اکو چاھئیے کہ قاضی حسین احمد جیسی شخصیات سے مشورہ کر کے لائحہ عمل بنائے۔

جسٹس جواد ایس خواجہ نے کہا کہ غیر اخلاقی پروگراموں اور اشتہارات کی واضح تعریف ہونی چاہئے۔ موجودہ چئیرمین پیمر ا قائم مقام ہے انکو شاید یہ پتہ نہیں ہ وہ کمر ہ عدالت سے باھر جائیں گے تو سیٹ پر رہیں گے یا نہیں ۔

اس پرچیف جسٹس نے کہا کہ پیمرا کو قائم ہوئے 10برس ہوگئے لیکن آج تک اس حوالے سے کوئی کام نہیں ہوا۔ پیمرا کے چیئرمین نے کہا کہ فحاشی کی تعریف متعین کرنے کیلئے ایک مباحثہ کرانا چاہ رہے ہیں۔

سپریم کورٹ نے سابق چیئرمین اوگرا توقیرصادق کے خلاف توہین عدالت کی درخواست اور ٹی وی چینلز پر فحاشی کے خلاف درخواستوں کی سماعت کی۔

چیف جسٹس نے استفسار کیا کہ ای سی ایل میں نام ہونے کے باوجود سابق چیئرمین اوگرا نیویارک کیسے چلاگئے۔

انہوں نے کہا کہ اگر توقیر صادق ریلیف لینا چاہتے ہیں تو انہیں عدالت میں پیش ہونا پڑے گا۔

جسٹس جواد ایس خواجہ نے ریمارکس دیئے کہ سرکار اور ایجنسیوں نے اپنے کام نہیں کرنے لیکن عدالتوں نے تو کرنے ہیں۔ عدالت نے براڈکاسٹر ایسوسی ایشن اور کیبل آپریٹرز کی بھی فریق بننے کی درخواستیں منظور کرلیں ۔ اور سابق چئیر مین پیمرا ملک مشتاق کی توھین عدالت سے متعلق درخواست معا فی مانگنے پر نمٹا دی،عدالت نے مقدمے کی سماعت 4ہفتوں کیلئے ملتوی کردی۔

PTV Exposes GEO TV & Jang Group of Newspapers Tax Default


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=325-ds5Hs_E

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has converted the letters of Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati against obscenity and vulgarity on the media into a petition and issued notices to chairmen PTA and Pemra and has fixed it for hearing on July 27, 2012. The petition is marked 104/2012 and the case will be heard in the open court on Friday. The SC order issued on Wednesday titled “Regarding control of obscene and other objectionable material carried in the media” reads: “Take notice that three separate letters were received from Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmad, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, ex-Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Karachi on the subject cited above and on placing all these letters before the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan. His lordship was pleased to call reports from chairman PTA and Chairman Pemra. After perusal of the said reports, the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan was pleased to pass the following order; ‘Treat this matter as petition under article 184(3). Put up in court. Notice to attorney general, chairman Pemra and to petitioners be issued for 27.07.2012.’ “Take further notice that the matter has been registered as the Constitutional petition No 104/2012 and is fixed for hearing on 27.07.2012 in Court House Islamabad.”The major issues regarding obscenity highlighted in the petition involve airing of illegal Indian channels through cable network, obscene and vulgar dramas on Pakistani channels, immoral advertisements on TV channels, illegal CD channels distributed by cable networks in connivance with Pemra, and in particular the entertainment segments in the news bulletins on Pakistani news channels. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media Qazi Hussain Ahmed Daily Jang 10 August 2012http://e.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=08-10-2012/Karachi/images/11_07.gif Friday, August 10, 2012, Ramazan ul Mubarak 21, 1433 A.H. http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2012-daily/10-08-2012/col2.htm

Imran Khan's Illegitimate Girl Child & Corruption Reference (Bolta Pakistan 2007)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQjxpc3vePI

Adultery of Imran Khan is also Vulgarity and Obscenity

MQM vs Imran Khan and Sita White Illegitimate Child Tyrian Jade
http://www.scribd.com/doc/102551755/MQM-vs-Imran-Khan-and-Sita-White-Illegitimate-Child-Tyrian-Jade
MQM vs Imran Khan and Sita White Illegitimate Child Tyrian Jade

Following complaints from the two respected public figures, the Human Rights Cell of the apex court, following CJ’s direction, had sought views from chairman Pemra and chairman PTA, both of whom have given routine bureaucratic responses without any concrete assurance that the menace would be effectively checked and controlled. Chairman Pemra in his response to the Supreme Court wrote: “The local market is flooded with smuggled and pirated CDs, DVDs, decoders, dishes and cards, which are proliferating obscenity through broadcast media and distribution service. On its part, Pemra took action against distribution and sale of illegal decoders and seized the equipment of Zee TV package. This action was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the court was pleased to suspend the seizure. Consequent to which Pemra had to return the equipment. Nevertheless, Pemra has not stopped its efforts in this regard. It may kindly be appreciated that Pemra cannot fully eradicate this menace and it will only be possible with coordinated efforts of all other relevant agencies as well.” It is important to mention here that whenever the Supreme Court takes up the issue of obscenity and vulgarity some objectionable Indian TV channels are closed for a few days but they stage a comeback. Even on Wednesday when the Supreme Court issued this latest order and fixed the case for Friday, sources told The News that Indian TV channels were closed in some big cities. Sources say a huge amount of money is involved in allowing illegal CD channels, distribution of illegal Indian TV channels and in many other similar illegal acts. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media Qazi Hussain Ahmed Daily Jang 10 August 2012http://e.jang.com.pk/pic.asp?npic=08-10-2012/Karachi/images/11_07.gif Friday, August 10, 2012, Ramazan ul Mubarak 21, 1433 A.H. http://jang.com.pk/jang/aug2012-daily/10-08-2012/col2.htm

PTI Moral Police: Wajihuddin Ahmed, Imran Khan, Sita White & Tyrian Khan.

NOW it is the realm of television programming and advertising that has attracted the Supreme Court’s attention. Summoning the chief of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in response to petitions moved by two conservative figures, the former amir of the Jamaat-i-Islami Qazi Hussain Ahmed and a retired Supreme Court justice, Wajihuddin Ahmed, the court on Monday demanded action within a week against ‘obscene’ and ‘vulgar’ programming and advertisements on private TV channels aired in Pakistan. Pause for a moment and consider the various problems that afflict this country and that the court is embroiled in. That obscenity and vulgarity on television — and this before the debate about whether the impugned content is at all obscene or vulgar — figures in the scheme of things to fix at the highest levels at the moment is somewhat worrying. Two points need to be made here. First, the excesses that do frequently occur on television — from content that foments religious intolerance to coverage of terrorist attacks that are insensitive to victims’ families and badly handled, and from opinion-laden shows that are divorced from fact to invasion of privacy and worse in intrusive programming — do need serious redressal. However, government regulation is not the way to go. The Musharraf era epitomised the problem: even the most ardent supporters of a free and independent media in power cannot be trusted to not use government regulation to stifle media freedom. Where self-regulation thus far has failed, perhaps what the government can do is act as a facilitator for the creation of a regulatory body that is truly independent, professionally run along non-ideological lines and responsive to both the media’s and consumers’ concerns. But to trust the government with a direct and hands-on role in regulating media content is an unwelcome idea: today it is obscenity and vulgarity, tomorrow it will be the ‘national interest’ and ‘national security’ that will demand certain lines be drawn. Second, the outmoded idea of what content is vulgar or obscene needs to be discarded. Strangely, violence on television — domestic, criminal, extrajudicial — rarely attracts the same kind of censure as does content in which women are attired in a certain way or filmed interacting with men in a certain way. The same goes for intolerance, xenophobia, bigotry and hate spewed on TV: it doesn’t attract the same kind of censure as does a woman dancing or singing lustily. The collective ownership that society wants to impose on its women is a problem itself. In the name of moral policing, Pakistan has ended up with deeply skewed priorities: keep the women covered up; let the monsters run loose. REFERENCE: Moral policing http://dawn.com/2012/08/08/moral-policing/

Sita White on Imran Khan's Illegitimate Child.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SoEW2aZU2Y

MQM vs Imran Khan and Sita White Illegitimate Child Tyrian Jade

http://www.scribd.com/doc/102551755/MQM-vs-Imran-Khan-and-Sita-White-Illegitimate-Child-Tyrian-Jade

It is this cherry picking of issues, petitioners and the amicus curiae that raise serious concerns about the ideological agenda of the Pakistani Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Pakistan has taken the hapless acting chairperson of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA), Mr Abdul Jabbar to task again. Remember the grainy video of the chairperson being grilled by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, while presiding over a full court meeting recently? At that time, he had come under fire after a ‘planted’ interview of the Bahria Town fame Malik Riaz was aired on a private television channel. It is pertinent to recall details of that episode as the august court has developed a penchant for taking up serious, yet simple issues, with an unusual populist sensationalism. In that video the Chief Justice was seen sitting at the head of the table, which had his brother judges comfortably occupying the other seats. The PEMRA chairperson was then called to the front and made to stand next to the Chief Justice. There did not appear to be a chair for him there and neither was one offered to him. The chairperson, with a stack of files under his arm, stood there literally trembling. The spectacle was reminiscent of a harsh schoolmaster chastising his unruly student. Now the chairperson himself was not an accused in the matter and obviously not a serf of the Supreme Court to have been subjected to such humiliation. To add insult to injury, the whole episode was being recorded and was subsequently released to the media. With whose permission the cameras were allowed in that room, we might never know. The release of the video was never probed or owned by the court. No matter what the rationale behind the court’s decision to let the poor man’s ordeal be televised, this is certainly not what is meant by the adage that justice must also be seen to have been done.

But this time around the honourable court was apparently relaying its displeasure on certain ‘objectionable’ programmes being televised on various channels in Pakistan. The court has taken upon itself, inter alia, to act as the moral police or more accurately as the nation’s nanny. It has set out to decide for the people what is, or is not, vulgar or obscene. The three-member bench of the SC was deliberating on a letter filed by the former Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Justice (retired) Wajihuddin of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf against what they alleged was obscenity on the television channels.

The court also quoted columns by Ansar Abbasi and Orya Maqbool Jan, apparently thanking them for their columns that pointed out the vulgarity on television. The court claimed that the television channels were spreading vulgarity and PEMRA had done nothing to stop them. It has ordered the PEMRA chairperson to submit a detailed report by August 13 about the TV programmes spreading vulgarity. According to this newspaper of record, during the proceedings, the honourable Chief Justice remarked, “We can’t watch TV with our families due to this vulgarity. He said PEMRA would be responsible if obscenity was shown on TV channels. He also said some vulgar programmes were being aired even during Iftar, which should be avoided.”

That certain programmes or advertisements on the television might be distasteful is not moot. But the way the court has gone about solving the problem is arbitrary, divisive and appears to be done in undue haste. By choosing to deliberate on the ‘sensitivities’ of four ideologically charged bearded men, the court has already stacked the deck against any open and fair discourse on the topic, at least during the course of the present proceedings. What may be obscene to these four gentlemen might not bother many others. Let’s face it, obscenity, just like beauty, lies in the eyes of the beholder. To them a woman showing leg in a hair-removal cream advertisement --allegedly discussed during the proceedings — might be offensive but to many others the television channels, especially their rabid anchors, making a mockery of the last vestiges of tolerance remaining in Pakistani society are much more obscene, nauseating and abhorrent.

So far no information has surfaced where the Chief Justice and his brother judges have taken a note of the anchors-turned-televangelists literally calling for murder of minority religious sects on primetime television. The court remained mum when one anchorwoman hounded a couple meeting in a public park and chased them around with her whole crew. More recently, that same anchorwoman, aided and abetted by a couple of clergymen, televised the conversion of a Hindu boy to Islam, ostensibly of his own free accord. The ignominious telecast caused outrage, but apparently, it was not disconcerting enough for the honourable judges to take note. And lest we forget, the death trap set by that anchorwoman with her leading questions that contributed to the brutal assassination of Governor Salmaan Taseer, did not concern the court one tiny bit.

The obscenity and pornography issues have been dealt with by the United States Supreme Court in famous cases like Roth vs United States (1957) and Jacobellis vs Ohio (1964). Programme content ratings for television, film and video games are quite developed in most civilised countries. Technological advances like V-Chip built into televisions have been there since the mid-1990s. The Pakistani Supreme Court may not need to reinvent the wheel but could serve as an enabler to help it get tweaked to local needs. Instead of bashing and belittling the PEMRA chairperson, the court could have, off the bat, co-opted help from media professionals, intellectuals and scientists were it keen to actually seek a wholesome solution to the issue. But other than merging an old petition by the media expert Mr Javed Jabbar with the current proceedings, it seems to have relied only on its own perceptions and that of the four men. It is this cherry picking of issues, petitioners and the amicus curiae that raise serious concerns about the ideological agenda of the Pakistani Supreme Court. Some of us do remember General Ziaul Haq’s brutal Islamisation unleashed in the name of amr bil ma’roof wa nahi anil munkar (ordering for acknowledged virtues and forbidding from sin) and the Chador aur Chardiwari ka Tahaffuz (preserving the sanctity of the women’s cloak and abode) and are concerned that this is where the nanny court may be headed. REFERENCE: COMMENT : The nanny court — Dr Mohammad Taqi Thursday, August 09, 2012 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C08%5C09%5Cstory_9-8-2012_pg3_2

Imran Khan, Tyrian & Sita White.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Yb4VGK_Ue4

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has converted the letters of Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmed, Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati against obscenity and vulgarity on the media into a petition and issued notices to chairmen PTA and Pemra and has fixed it for hearing on July 27, 2012. The petition is marked 104/2012 and the case will be heard in the open court on Friday. The SC order issued on Wednesday titled “Regarding control of obscene and other objectionable material carried in the media” reads: “Take notice that three separate letters were received from Justice (R) Wajihuddin Ahmad, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, ex-Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and Muhammad Hussain Mehnati, Ameer Jamat-e-Islami Karachi on the subject cited above and on placing all these letters before the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan. His lordship was pleased to call reports from chairman PTA and Chairman Pemra. After perusal of the said reports, the honourable Chief Justice of Pakistan was pleased to pass the following order; ‘Treat this matter as petition under article 184(3). Put up in court. Notice to attorney general, chairman Pemra and to petitioners be issued for 27.07.2012.’

“Take further notice that the matter has been registered as the Constitutional petition No 104/2012 and is fixed for hearing on 27.07.2012 in Court House Islamabad.”The major issues regarding obscenity highlighted in the petition involve airing of illegal Indian channels through cable network, obscene and vulgar dramas on Pakistani channels, immoral advertisements on TV channels, illegal CD channels distributed by cable networks in connivance with Pemra, and in particular the entertainment segments in the news bulletins on Pakistani news channels.

Following complaints from the two respected public figures, the Human Rights Cell of the apex court, following CJ’s direction, had sought views from chairman Pemra and chairman PTA, both of whom have given routine bureaucratic responses without any concrete assurance that the menace would be effectively checked and controlled.

Chairman Pemra in his response to the Supreme Court wrote: “The local market is flooded with smuggled and pirated CDs, DVDs, decoders, dishes and cards, which are proliferating obscenity through broadcast media and distribution service. On its part, Pemra took action against distribution and sale of illegal decoders and seized the equipment of Zee TV package. This action was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the court was pleased to suspend the seizure. “Consequent to which Pemra had to return the equipment. Nevertheless, Pemra has not stopped its efforts in this regard. It may kindly be appreciated that Pemra cannot fully eradicate this menace and it will only be possible with coordinated efforts of all other relevant agencies as well.” It is important to mention here that whenever the Supreme Court takes up the issue of obscenity and vulgarity some objectionable Indian TV channels are closed for a few days but they stage a comeback. Even on Wednesday when the Supreme Court issued this latest order and fixed the case for Friday, sources told The News that Indian TV channels were closed in some big cities. Sources say a huge amount of money is involved in allowing illegal CD channels, distribution of illegal Indian TV channels and in many other similar illegal acts. REFERENCE: SC takes suo moto notice of obscenity in media Ahmad Noorani Thursday, July 26, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-16359-SC-takes-suo-moto-notice-of-obscenity-in-media