The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday issued a notice to a leading news channel for airing “Indian content” after the news of the death of singing legend Asha Bhosle was broadcasted on their platform.
This stems from the ban on Indian content in Pakistan that has been implemented since 2018.
The show-cause notice to GeoNews sought an explanation as to why it broadcasted the news of Bhosle’s death.
As per PTI, the news channel, a leading one in Pakistan, is considered close to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government and the military establishment.
Bhosle passed away on Sunday due to multi-organ failure at the age of 92 at Breach Candy hospital. She was cremated with full state honours on Monday at Shivaji Park Crematorium in Mumbai. Her family members, friends, film fraternity and fans, gathered to pay their last respects.
The singing legend’s body was wrapped in the tricolour and placed in a glass casket, adorned with white lilies.
Her mortal remains are currently kept at her residence in Casa Grande in Lower Parel.
“It has always been customary to revisit and celebrate the work of iconic artists when reporting on them. In fact, for an artist of Asha Bhosle's stature, we should have shared even more of her timeless and memorable songs than we did. Yet, Pakistan's electronic media regulator, PEMRA, has chosen to restrict this,” Azhar Abbas, the managing director of GeoNews, said in a post on X.
Abbas said that art, like knowledge, is a shared heritage of humanity and it should not be confined by borders
“Asha Bhosle herself admired Pakistan’s legendary singer Noor Jahan, whom she fondly called her ‘elder sister’. She collaborated with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and brought to life the poetry of great Urdu poets like Nasir Kazmi,” Abbas added.
“In times of war and conflict, art and artists should not become casualties. Intellectuals, musicians, and creators are often the very voices that stand against hatred and division, and the ones who bring people closer together,” he further said.
According to PTI, the PEMRA said GeoNews broadcast of Indian songs and visuals from Indian films while airing news of Bhosle’s death is a wilful defiance of the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan that banned the airing of Indian content.
In the show-cause notice, PEMRA mentioned that GeoNews violated Rule 15(1) of the PEMRA Rules, 2009, Regulation 18 1 (g) of the PEMRA (Television Broadcast Station Operations) Regulations 2012, and Clause 4(10), 5, 17, 20 and 24 of the Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct 2015.
Geo News CEO has been summoned on April 27. An explanation in writing within 14 days as to why a legal action — including inter alia imposition of fine, suspension and revocation of licence under Section 26, Section 29A and other enabling provisions of PEMRA Ordinance, 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act, 2023 — should not be initiated.
Pakistan People’s Party Senator Sherry Rehman criticised PEMRA, saying, “Please, let’s not lose all perspective here, PEMRA and start policing cultural transitions.”
