The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has reportedly instructed TV channels not to give coverage to press conferences of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who’s all set to march on Islamabad on Oct 31.
The order seemed to come into effect from Saturday, as the press conference of JUI-F chief, held in Rawalpindi, was largely kept off-air by TV channels.
Sources say the blanket ban on media coverage is similar to the one imposed on the leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), especially its vice president Maryam Nawaz.
Earlier this year, the authorities had forcefully taken off an interview of Maryam Nawaz soon after it was broadcasted weeks after it had taken three TV channels off-air for broadcasting a presser by the PML-N VP.
According Reporters Without Borders (RSF), such actions by the authorities were an act of “brazen censorship”.
It has slammed the local authorities, describing the ban “indicative of disturbing dictatorial tendencies” as pressure mounts on journalists in Pakistan.