A Pakistani high court on Wednesday ordered the country's electronic media watchdog to provide "free and unrestricted" media coverage to all political leaders, including jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, ahead of the February 8 general elections.

The order was passed by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on a petition filed last year by the 71-year-old cricketer-turned-politician against the ban on his name and speeches on TV channels by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), the Dawn newspaper reported.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supremo challenged the ban in court, arguing that PEMRA's order was “purely driven out of vengeance”, after which the LHC directed the media regulatory authority to “ensure a level playing field for all political parties in broadcasting their content and speeches.” In a written order issued on Wednesday, Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza noted that the Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct directed all media channels that any political programme should be conducted objectively, guaranteeing representation of all political parties.

“Clearly, the allegation agitated before this court by the petitioner is that the media channels breached the code of conduct when his [Khan’s] name was not even allowed to be taken in the programmes,” the order said.

It said the issue assumed greater significance as “the general elections for National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies are on the horizon”.

Asserting that “meaningful participation” in the electoral process required “informed citizenry”, the order said that people must be provided with "the best and accurate information about the candidates and political parties they are likely to make the choice from.” Considering the upcoming general elections, the court directed the PEMRA to "strictly ensure that the petitioner and candidates of all political parties are given free and unrestricted access to media platforms/channels without any constraints from any quarters,” the report said.

The order said the government “has no right to prevent the media from covering certain candidates or political parties”. It reiterated that the election process should contribute to a level playing field where all political parties and candidates can communicate their message to the people through all mediums.

“Similarly, the media platforms must be able to provide unconstrained access to candidates belonging to all political parties to transmit their opinions and manifestos to the public, enabling them to make informed choices,” it said.

Khan's PTI party has suffered back-to-back setbacks ahead of the February 8 general elections. Earlier in the day, an accountability court sentenced the PTI founder and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 14 years of rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case.

On Tuesday, top party leaders Khan and ex-foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi were sentenced to 10 years in prison by a special court for leaking sensitive state secrets.

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