Islamabad 9 Aug : Authorities in Pakistan shut down a popular television station in what critics have branded an illegal attempt to restrict freedom of expression in Pakistan, according to the media. Private Pakistani cable operators were instructed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to stop the broadcast of ARY News immediately “till further notice”, VOA reported.
The regulator then issued an official “show cause notice” to the broadcaster in which it accused it of broadcasting “false, violent and seditious content”.The regulator also argued that ARY News aired comments early Monday morning on one of its programs by a spokesman of Imran Khan, the former prime minister, that PEMRA claimed were “tantamount to inciting (the) ranks and files of the armed forces to revolt”.
PEMRA was further able to state in the letter that “airing of such content on your news channel demonstrates an unprofessional editorial in the content or that the licensee is deliberately involved in giving its platform to those who are aiming to spread hatred and hatred towards the state institution to further their interests”.
Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) claimed that the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of supporting an online campaign that aimed at showing that the opposition group is against the army VOA reported.
The PEMRA-owned TV channel has rejected the accusations as unconstitutional as well as journalists, legal experts, as well as PTI leaders.
Salman Iqbal, founder and CEO of one of the most watched channels in Pakistan has tweeted that ARY News “gets shut down simply because we covered an untrue story”.
Muhammad Ahmad Pansota, a lawyer and legal analyst, criticized PEMRA for suspending ARY News without any legal justification.
In tweets, he called freedom of the press a constitutionally protected right that cannot be interfered with by anyone not just the government, VOA reported.
Sedition accusations, critics claim are frequently used to inflict fear and harassment on journalists and media outlets who are who are critical of the massive military establishment.
Mubashir Zaidi anchor for prime-time TV has advised the government against the suspension of any channel, noting that the move could be in contravention of recent court orders.
“But in this case, the shutdown occurred prior to of the notification, and this decision is likely to be declared illegal in court sooner or later,” Zaid tweeted.
Media watchdogs are also convinced that military has been behind a recent effort of harassment and intimidation against journalists in Pakistan — allegations which the army and government deny, VOA reported.
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