JournalismPakistan.com | Published June 26, 2015
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD : The campaign to have the license of upcoming BOL News restored has started fading due to internal differences of the senior management and journalists.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) suspended the channel's license in late May after receiving a letter from Ministry of Information. The channel was due to hit the airwaves on first of Ramadan.
A New York Times report on Axact, parent company BOL, alleging the company was involved in selling fake degrees to students across the globe, created a major controversy.
Journalists attached with the channel and journalists unions across the country started protest demonstrations against the government for suspending BOL's license. The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) even issued a 48-hour deadline to the government to restore the license but it didn’t work.
The journalist fraternity was, however, hopeful to get the license restored through their protests and boycotting coverage of the government’s important events. The PFUJ even announced disrupting inauguration ceremony of Metro Bus on June 4 and boycotting the budget session the following day.
To assuage the journalists, Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid approached the PFUJ and assured them that the channel's bank accounts would be unfrozen and the license restored. The promise is, however, yet to be honored.
BOL journalists separately launched daily protests against the government at all their bureau offices including Karachi , Peshawar , Lahore and Islamabad . Initially, they chanted vociferous slogans against the government but now their voice appeares to have subdued as a result of internal differences.
PFUJ President Afzal Butt tells JournalismPakistan.com the government promised to help BOL employees by unfreezing the company’s bank accounts before advent of Ramadan if the management filed a case in the court.
“The BOL management has not yet filed a case in the court. It seems like they are in a fix over the bank accounts issue,” he said.
Butt said the PFUJ has been struggling to get the channel’s license restored as the matter is directly related to working journalists’ employment. “But we can’t do anything on our own … BOL management will have to decide if they want to get the company’s bank accounts unfrozen and the channel’s license restored,” he said.
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.