A Pemra directive issued on November 3 has made it compulsory for all TV channels to display Pakistan’s political map ahead of the daily news bulleting at 9 pm.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority notice was made public on Sunday making it mandatory for all public and private news channels to “flash the political map of Pakistan for two seconds before airing the news bulletin at 9pm” every day.
“All the satellite TV channel licensees (news and current affairs/regional language) are, therefore, directed to comply with the above-mentioned recommendation in letter and spirit without fail,” says the Pemra directive, based on a September 16 letter issued by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has informed the local media that government had the authority to issue the notice in accordance with Pemra Ordinance 2002.
Section 5 of the ordinance gives the federal government the power to issue directives binding to Pemra, maintaining that “if a question arises whether any matter is a matter of policy or not, the decision of the federal government shall be final.”
Pakistan’s political map was unveiled on August 4 last year to commemorate the first anniversary of the Indian government removing the special status of occupied Jammu & Kashmir on August 5, 2019. The map highlights Pakistan’s claims over Kashmir and Sir Creek.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority notice was made public on Sunday making it mandatory for all public and private news channels to “flash the political map of Pakistan for two seconds before airing the news bulletin at 9pm” every day.
“All the satellite TV channel licensees (news and current affairs/regional language) are, therefore, directed to comply with the above-mentioned recommendation in letter and spirit without fail,” says the Pemra directive, based on a September 16 letter issued by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has informed the local media that government had the authority to issue the notice in accordance with Pemra Ordinance 2002.
Section 5 of the ordinance gives the federal government the power to issue directives binding to Pemra, maintaining that “if a question arises whether any matter is a matter of policy or not, the decision of the federal government shall be final.”
Pakistan’s political map was unveiled on August 4 last year to commemorate the first anniversary of the Indian government removing the special status of occupied Jammu & Kashmir on August 5, 2019. The map highlights Pakistan’s claims over Kashmir and Sir Creek.