PEMRA revokes Bol News licence over security clearance issue

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Wednesday revoked the license of Bol News after Interior Ministry rejected security clearance of the company’s directors.

Bol News is a private TV channel owned by Labbaik (Pvt) Ltd whose directors namely Shoaib A Shaikh, Ayesha Shoaib Shaikh, Viqas Atiq and Sarwat Bashir have been denied security clearance by the Interior Ministry.

“In the 131st authority meeting held at PEMRA headquarters on Tuesday, the authority took this decision in the light of the recommendations by the Council of Complaints (CoC) Sindh,” read a statement issued by the electronic and print media watchdog.

All cable operators have also been notified by the media regulatory body to immediately take Bol News and Bol Entertainment channels off air.

“Bol News and Bol Entertainment (Pak News) have been ordered to surrender the original licences and clear all outstanding dues,” the notification further said.

The authority will take strict action against violators for taking the channel on air, it added.

Instructions have been given to PakSat to immediately stop the transmission of Bol News and Bol Entertainment (Pak News) which are no more PEMRA’s licensees. Through a separate order, all distribution networks and cable operators have also been directed to take these two channels off air with immediate effect.

Any violation of PEMRA’s order would have legal consequences for the violators and PEMRA would act against the violators according to law.

The meeting was attended by member Sindh, Sarfaraz Khan Jatoi, member KP, Shaheen Habibullah, Member Punjab, Nargis Nasir, Secretary Information Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Chairman PTA, and Dr Syed Ismail Shah; it was chaired by PEMRA Chairman, Absar Alam.