Poet banned for life for ridiculing Pashtun community

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Px30-040 ISLAMABAD: Nov30 – Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb talks to media persons outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan after hearing of the Panamagate case. ONLINE PHOTO by Waseem Khan

PESHAWAR: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Marriyum  Aurangzeb has taken serious notice of a programme aired by PTV in which a poet ridiculed and stigmatised the Pushtun community, imposing a lifetime ban on the participation of the concerned poet in any programme of the official channel.

The minister also directed the secretary information, who is also the managing director of PTV, to submit a report about the incident after holding an inquiry against the PTV officials who were responsible for the regrettable episode.

Earlier, Federal Secretary Information and Broadcasting Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera also took notice of the controversial poetic programme and sought an apology from Pashtuns over hurting their sentiments, because of the stigmatisation of their race by the concerned poet.

The federal secretary said PTV is a national institution of the country and is following a very strict and impartial editorial policy, which does not allow stigmatisation, profiling or stereotyping of any individual, caste or community.

He also held out assurance of taking strict action against PTV officials who were found responsible for airing of the controversial programme.