PEMRA suspended ARY News license on Monday after the news channel aired Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's statement in its prime time bulletin despite a ban on broadcasting his speeches.
The PEMRA quickly initiated action against the news channel soon after issuing a notice of the ban on coverage of Imran Khan.
The suspension order read, "It has been observed that M/s ARY Communications Ltd. (ARY News) on March 05, 2023, in its news bulletin at 9:00 p.m. aired clips of Mr. Imran Khan’s speech delivered at Zaman Park, Lahore, today. ARY News aired referred to content in willful defiance of the Prohibition Order."
It added, "Foregoing in view, the competent authority, i.e., the Chairman PEMRA, in the exercise of powers vested in Section 30(3) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by the PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby suspends the broadcast satellite TV channel license conferred to M/s ARY Communications Ltd. (ARY News) with immediate effect, till further orders."
Journalist associations and unions have condemned the regulatory body’s action.
Earlier, the PEMRA imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘live and recorded’ speeches and press conferences of Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.
According to the notification issued by the PEMRA, "It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by leveling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers, which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility."
It further directed all satellite TV channels to ensure that an impartial Editorial Board is constituted as required under Clause 17 of the Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015 in order to ensure that their platform is not used by anyone for uttering remarks in any manner "which are contemptuous and against any state institution, hateful, and prejudicial to a law and order situation".
Legal action as per PEMRA laws would be taken against the violators of the directives, the notification read.
The PEMRA quickly initiated action against the news channel soon after issuing a notice of the ban on coverage of Imran Khan.
The suspension order read, "It has been observed that M/s ARY Communications Ltd. (ARY News) on March 05, 2023, in its news bulletin at 9:00 p.m. aired clips of Mr. Imran Khan’s speech delivered at Zaman Park, Lahore, today. ARY News aired referred to content in willful defiance of the Prohibition Order."
It added, "Foregoing in view, the competent authority, i.e., the Chairman PEMRA, in the exercise of powers vested in Section 30(3) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by the PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby suspends the broadcast satellite TV channel license conferred to M/s ARY Communications Ltd. (ARY News) with immediate effect, till further orders."
Journalist associations and unions have condemned the regulatory body’s action.
Earlier, the PEMRA imposed a ban on broadcasting ‘live and recorded’ speeches and press conferences of Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.
According to the notification issued by the PEMRA, "It has been observed that Imran Khan [Chairman PTI] in his speeches/statements is continuously alleging state institutions by leveling baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers, which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility."
It further directed all satellite TV channels to ensure that an impartial Editorial Board is constituted as required under Clause 17 of the Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015 in order to ensure that their platform is not used by anyone for uttering remarks in any manner "which are contemptuous and against any state institution, hateful, and prejudicial to a law and order situation".
Legal action as per PEMRA laws would be taken against the violators of the directives, the notification read.