Pakistani media watchdog suspended on Saturday the licence of Geo News for 15 days for airing a special transmission which the body claimed was “liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers”.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has issued the order under Section 30 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 citing that a broadcast of Geo News’ special transmission “constitutes a serious regulatory concern” due to religious, cultural and social sensitivities.
The body also noted that the matter was “also inconsistent” with its June 15 directive regarding ‘Observance of Sanctity of the Holy Month of Muharramul Haram’.
Geo News has acknowledged its mistake in airing the transmission broadcast on Muharram 10.
“This content depicted certain rituals adopted by a limited number of people in Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries. The content merely reflected these local rituals, and its purpose was not to represent, endorse, or promote any broader religious point of view,” the news organisation said in a statement.
“This content was neither produced by Geo News nor was its broadcast carried out with any intention or purpose. We wish to clarify that Geo News remains firmly committed to its policy of respecting the widely accepted beliefs and sensitivities of the Muslim Ummah. The inclusion of such content does not reflect our editorial position or the ideology of the organisation,” it added.
