PEMRA bans Sami Ibrahim talk show featuring Imran Khan

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published 3 years ago

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Thursday imposed a ban on Tajzia, a Bol TV talk show hosted by Sami Ibrahim, for airing a statement of PTI chairman Imran Khan.

In a notification to all TV channels, PEMRA said: "Reference is invited to a talk show aired on BOL News titled "Tajzia" hosted by Mr. Sami Ibrahim, wherein exclusive interview of Mr. Imran Khan, Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was aired."

"During the interview at 20:19 p.m. 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 prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility."

According to the notification, airing of above referred unwarranted discussion is in sheer violation of Article 19 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Section 20(a) & (1) and Section 27 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA Amendment Act 2007, Clause 3 (1) (h), (), 4 (7) (10), 5, 17, 23 & 24 of Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct, 2015 read with Regulation 18 (c) of PEMRA (Television Broadcast Station Operations) Regulations 2012.

However, later PEMRA issued a clarification that it had placed a ban only on airing the program in which Imran Khan made the statements. There was no ban on Sami Ibrahim from appearing on BOL TV.