Private media barred from covering PTI rally

ISLAMABAD: The government barred private news channels from covering Prime Minister Imran Khan’s rally on Sunday.

The administration stopped the private media from entering the PTI rally site at Parade Ground and media vans, which had arrived to cover the event, were stopped at Faisal Avenue, about 7km from the venue. However, teams of the government news channel had already reached the site for coverage.

Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib contended that only the state-run media would cover the rally and private news channels could rely on it. However, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain quickly clarified that besides local private TV channels, about 43 foreign media representatives were also there to cover the event. The confusion was blamed on the local channels reporting Saturday that 6,000 chairs were placed for men and 2,000 for women at the Parade Ground and it had reportedly made the PTI leadership unhappy.