Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) prohibition order issued to Bol News Talk Show Tajzia
FOE Link or motive by PPF
ConfirmedCase Update Status
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, order issued on June 2, stated that the broadcast or the re-broadcast of the “referred content” by Khan in the programme between 20:19pm to 20:20:10pm.
Summary of Case
"Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) prohibition order issued to Bol News Talk Show Tajzia hosted by Sami Ibrahim following the broadcast of an interview with former prime minister Imran Khan is a dangerous step taken by the regulatory body. This order has restricted the broadcast or re-broadcast of Khan’s controversial interview and led to censorship on a matter of public importance. While PEMRA is responsible for monitoring content, to ban a statement made by a senior political leader, is to restrict the public’s access to information. The remarks made by Khan are not the responsibility of the journalist or his network and to restrict a comment made is a way of restricting free speech. During a nearly hour-long interview with Ibrahim, aired on June 1, in the timestamp noted with contention by PEMRA, Khan had referenced the ‘establishment’ a euphemism for the military leadership, and the breakdown of Pakistan. “If the establishment doesn’t make the right decisions right now, I will give it to you in writing, they will be destroyed, the Army will be destroyed first, because the country will go bankrupt, where will the country go? “I will tell you the sequence, since they [the sitting government] has come, the rupee has fallen, stock market (sic), things have gotten expensive. Pakistan is going towards default. “If we default, that means Pakistan is headed towards bankruptcy. What is the biggest institution that will be hit? The Pakistan Army. “When the Army is hit, what concession will be taken from us? The same they took from Ukraine — to denuclearize. […] “When that goes, what will happen? I will tell you today, Pakistan will be broken into three parts,” he said, adding that this was already said in plans by foreign think tanks. “So if the right decisions aren’t made now, Pakistan is headed toward suicide which is why I am exerting pressure,” he said, concluding that particular comment. Khan’s comments regarding the establishment and the future of Pakistan were widely criticized and in the aftermath, PEMRA issued its order against Ibrahim’s show. As per PEMRA, the order issued on June 2, stated that the broadcast or the re-broadcast of the “referred content” by Khan in the programme between 20:19pm to 20:20:10pm was prohibited on all satellite television channels with immediate effect. It read: “the statement of the guest was aired which is (sic) gravely threatened the national security, independence, sovereignty, integrity and ideology of the country which is likely to create hatred among the people and is prejudiced to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disrupt public tranquility”."
Category of Incident
Censorship
ICCS Status
ICCS Divisions: 0803-Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression
ICCS Group: 08039-Other acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression
ICCS Class: N/A
ICCS Crime: Acts related to freedom of expression or control of expression
Reported By
Journalism Pakistan
Date of incident
3
Month
June
Year
2022
Name of affected person
Sami Ibrahim
Other affected persons
No other person affected
Name of affected organization
Bol TV
Other affected organizations
No other Organization affected
Action by
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA)
City
Karachi
Province
Sindh
Designation
Anchor Person
Professional category
Journalist
Age of victim
45
Marital Status
MarriedCompensation Details
Amount of compensation announced by government: No compensation announced
Date of compensation announcement by government: No compensation announced
Date of compensation paid by government: No compensation announced
Amount of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced
Date of compensation announced by others: No compensation announced
Date compensation paid by others: No compensation announced
FIR Details
Was FIR registered ?: No
Court Details
Was case investigated ?: No
Court where case was presented: Not presented in any court yet
Name of prosecuting lawyer: Not presented in any court yet
Date of first court hearing:
Date of last court hearing:
Status of court case: Not presented in any court yet
Journalist Union Status
PFUJ
Not required to contact
APNS
CPNE
PBA
Condemn Status
Colleague of victim
Not required to contact
Employer organization
Not required to contact
Press Club Status
Press club 1: Not required to contact
Press club 2: N/A
Press club 3: