ISLAMABAD: Hearing a petition seeking formation of a commission for media’s accountability, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to acting chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority Pemra Abdul Jabbar to appear before it today Wednesday and explain why a chairman had not been appointed for last two years.

The Supreme Court bench comprised Justice Jawwad. S Khawaja and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain. The petition filed by TV anchors Hamid Mir and Absar Alam, prayed the court to order for formation of a commission responsible for inquiring about the source of income of TV channel owners, advertising agencies and anchorpersons.

During the hearing, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja questioned that as to how the acting chairman could handle affairs of the body for last two years. Hamid Mir told the court that the journalists, who Pemra had claimed that it had contacted before drafting media’s code of conduct, had denied that they had been contacted.

He told the court that secret funds of various ministries were being used to manipulate media and requested the court to make the details of such funds public. Later, the court adjourned further hearing for today Wednesday.