Dawn backs ban on Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 28 January 2017

Dawn has backed the ban on Amir Liaquat Hussain's program, citing harmful rhetoric. While praising action against the show's content, it warns of potential press freedom issues.

Summary

ISLAMABAD - Dawn Saturday backed the ban on Amir Liaquat Hussain’s program Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga on BOLNews, saying “the stream of invective and calumny spewed forth by Mr Liaquat is unprecedented.”

In its editorial ‘Pemra ban’, the paper maintained the ultra-right in Pakistan is unmistakably seeking to silence all appeals to reason and humanity by employing extremely dangerous tactics. “Pemra has done well to take notice of the defamatory language and then to stand firm against the channel for defying the ban.”

It also asked BOL to consider the impact on its credibility were it to continue with programming of such kind. However, the paper also seemed to caution against “open-ended, blanket ban apparently not preceded by any show-cause notice to the host” saying it “gives the impression of being arbitrary and can establish an unwelcome precedent in muzzling press freedom.”

The PEMRA ban on the program was however overturned by the Sindh High Court Friday.

The media regulator also served a show cause notice on BOL for defying the ban by airing the show, hours after the ban was imposed.

KEY POINTS:

• Dawn supports the ban on Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga due to offensive language.
• PEMRA received acclaim for addressing the program's defamatory content.
• The Sindh High Court overturned the ban on the show on Friday.
• Dawn cautioned that blanket bans without notice could undermine press freedom.
• BOL was served a notice for continuing the program after the ban.