Pak media watchdog bans live telecast of ex-PM’s speeches

Pakistan's media watchdog has banned television channels from broadcasting live addresses by former prime minister Imran Khan, ahead of his rally. The ban, effective immediately, was issued late Saturday night -- the same day Khan held a rally in the capital Islamabad in which he criticised police officials and the judiciary over the arrest of one of his party's leaders. In a notice to television channels seen by AFP, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said Khan was levelling "baseless allegations and spreading hate speech". "His provocative statements against state institutions and officers... is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility," it added.