It’s not anchors’ job to issue certificates of treachery or kufr: Pemra

Says it is unprofessional, irresponsible act; TV channel warned over indecent language against Malala, her family

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has issued a warning to the ARY News channel for telecasting a programme on February 7.

According to the Pemra, on the said date, the ARY News, in its programme ‘Sawal Ye Hay’ at 10pm, used indecent language against Malala Yousafzai and her family, and cast slurs on their character without any proof. Even they were tagged as traitors, blasphemers of Allah and the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

The warning said the words used by the anchor and the  and the Constitution and the law of the land didn’t permit the use of such words against anyone.

According to Pemra, this is not the authority of any anchorperson or programme guests to issue certificates for treachery or kufr, terming anyone anti-state or anti-Islam, deciding who’s a Muslim and who’s not. In fact, it is a non-professional and irresponsible act and a violation of the Pemra rules.

According to the rules, the channels should ensure that whosoever is the topic of the programme is given a chance to present his/her viewpoint on the basis of equality.

Pemra said the ARY News violated the rules by presenting one-sided views. Monitoring of programme ‘Sawal Yeh Hay’ for two months showed that the channel deliberately takes up sensitive issues and the programme host as well as guests level allegations against people without any proof in a non-professional manner.

Continuous presentation of such programmes showed that the channel has not set up any editorial monitoring committee. The channel has also not installed the delayed-telecast system to check content before it goes on air.

Pemra has time and again drew the attention of the channel management towards the violation of the rules, but no corrective measures were taken by it.

‘Sawal Yeh Hay’ programme attempted to make the armed forces of Pakistan controversial again and again. Now the channel was presenting such content that could endanger the lives of people, said the Pemra statement.

According to Pemra, telecasting such programmes was a violation of Pemra Amended Act 2007, sub-clause 20F Pemra Rules 2009, Rule 15(1), and Electronic Media Code of Conduct clauses 22(1)(K)(1), 3, and 23. Therefore, the channel is warned against telecasting any programmes in violation of rules that may create hatred or endanger the lives of people. It must evolve a system that must ensure that no programme is telecast in violation of the Electronic Media code of Conduct 2015.