The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Friday announced a ban on shows dramatising crimes such as rape, murder, robberies and suicide.
Addressing a press conference, Pemra chairman Absar Alam said that the authority has decided to ban such shows which re-enact crimes like murders and suicide, and those that raid places in the name of investigative journalism from the next month.
Absar Alam further said that Pemra is forming a code of conduct for investigative journalism and will “not allow anyone to breach someone’s privacy”.
“None will be allowed to name rape or suicide victims, family members of rape victims will not be named nor a channel will be allowed to run their interviews,” said the Pemra chairman.
A notification issued by the authority in this regard states that viewers have repeatedly complained about such shows while law enforcement agencies agree that airing of such shows not only entices the youth towards crime but several criminals have confessed learning new crime tactics through these shows.
“Standing committees of Senate and have recommended the authority to ban crime re-enactment shows. Lahore High Court, during the hearing of a petition, ordered banning such programs and Punjab Assembly passed a resolution calling for a complete ban on such shows,” reads the notification.
The notification further says that Pemra has empowered its chairman to cancel the license of any TV channel defying the ban.
About investigative journalism, it says that the authority is forming a code of conduct and rules and regulations are being formed, which will soon be issued to the channels.
Most of the local news channels feature crime re-enactment programs which dramatise criminal activities for viewers.