Labaik TV channels broadcast stopped

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Monday stopped broadcast of TV channels of M/s Labaik Pvt Ltd with immediate effect in the light of a court order and letters written by the Ministry of Interior.

The 15-year licence period of the Labaik’s entertainment channel expired in December 2021 and the company has not submitted any application to the authority for renewal. The 174th meeting of the Pemra was held on Monday to review the issues related to licences issued to the Bol News and the Bol Entertainment. The licences issued to the M/s Labbaik Private Limited were cancelled by the authority in 2017 and it happened due to non-issuance of security clearance by the Interior Ministry. The Pemra’s order was pending with the Sindh High Court on behalf of the company and the channels continued their broadcasts. However, the SHC disposed of the pending case in 2021.

During the hearing, the Pemra’s counsel made it clear that if the Interior Ministry did not issue security clearance to the M/s Labbaik Private Limited, it would not be allowed to broadcast its two channels.

Therefore, the authority reviewed all the records of the court order and the letters issued by the Ministry of Interior and ordered stopping the broadcast of the two channels with immediate effect.