PTV Censorship Sparks Outcry in National Assembly: Omar Ayub Khan Speech Interrupted
In a notable session of the National Assembly on March 3 in Islamabad, the state broadcaster, Pakistan Television (PTV), abruptly halted the live broadcast of a speech by Omar Ayub Khan, a prominent member. of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-aligned Sunni Ittehad Council. This occurrence took place right after the newly-elected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s address, highlighting a dramatic moment in Pakistan’s political discourse.
Speaker Ayaz Sadiq had extended the floor to Ayub Khan, signaling an opportunity for the opposition to voice their perspectives. However, the live transmission was suspended at that moment. This interruption did not go unnoticed; Deputy Speaker Ghulam Mustafa Shah of the National Assembly swiftly intervened, directing PTV to resume the live coverage of Ayub Khan’s address.
During a National Assembly session on March 4, Ayub Khan mentioned his previous speech was not broadcast live, contrasting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s fully live-streamed address. He highlighted that his speech, grounded in facts, faced interruptions, whereas Sharif’s did not. Ayub announced plans to move a privilege motion against this discrepancy.
Source: Pakistan Press Foundation