Kathmandu. The broadcast license of Pakistan’s prominent news channel, Geo News, has been suspended for 15 days. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) took this action, alleging that a program broadcast during Muharram showed visuals that could hurt religious sentiments.
According to the authority, the program ‘Safar-e-Ishq’ broadcast on June 26 included visuals that were not aligned with Pakistan’s religious, cultural, and social sensitivities. It stated that action was taken against the channel as such content could disrupt religious harmony.
The regulatory body has directed Geo News to conduct an internal investigation into the incident. Additionally, it has been reported that the matter has been referred to the Council of Complaints. Following the action, Geo News has removed the controversial program from all its digital platforms. The channel has also issued a public apology, stating that this was an editorial lapse. The channel clarified that local religious traditions practiced by the Shia community in Iraq and some Middle Eastern countries were presented in the program purely for informational purposes. The channel also made it clear that there was no intention to support any specific religious ideology.
Following this incident, the debate surrounding press freedom and the regulatory body’s increasing control over the media has intensified once again in Pakistan.
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