ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued three show cause notices, including one to ARY News channel over comments on a statement by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, on Friday.
The notices were issued due to the remarks made by retired Air Marshal Shahid Latif, a guest on an ARY News programme, ‘The Reporters’ which aired on Thursday (March 23).
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“This is a very dangerous trend. The hosts of the programme did not intervene on this occasion nor stopped him from passing such comments, which is a violation of Pemra rules,” the authority said in a press release.
The press release added: “This has been conveyed to the TV channel that airing any offensive, provocative or derogatory remarks falls in clear violation of clause 20 (f) of PEMRA Act 2007, rule 15(1) of 2009 and various sections and clauses of the PEMRA Code of Conduct 2015.”
The regulator directed ARY News to submit its reply by March 31 and explain why action should not be taken against it for airing “hate speech”.
Pemra pointed out that if the channel was found guilty, the punishment could include, banning of the show, ‘The Reporters’, cancellation of ARY’s operating licence and a fine of Rs1 million.
The electronic media regulator also issued show cause notices to nine TV channels — Ab Tak TV, Waqt TV, Channel 5, Sach TV, 7 News, Aaj TV, Roze TV, News One and Capital TV — for airing “fake news” on Wednesday (March 22)that a plane had crashed in Kallar Syedan, near Rawalpindi.
The channels have been directed to submit a reply by March 31.The penalty for airing fake news includes a fine of up to Rs1 million and cancellation of the operating licence.
Pemra also issued a show cause notice to Dawn News for not suspending the program Zara Hat Kay for three days as directed by Pemra.