The media must be able to report on critical developments in the country without facing punitive measures for doing so.
This statement was originally published on pakistanpressfoundation.org on 10 October 2024.
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is alarmed by the unacceptable overreach of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which has issued show-cause notices to television channels for their coverage of the terrorist attack on October 6 near Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The media must be able to report on critical developments in the country, including incidents of violence and terror, without facing punitive measures for doing so.
A show-cause notice was issued on October 8 to multiple television channels following the coverage of the explosion. In it, television channels were reprimanded for airing images, footage, and live reporting from the location in their bulletins. The notice stated that broadcasters had been directed to refrain from the broadcast or rebroadcast and live coverage of “any unfortunate/unpleasant incident” such as an explosion, blast, or firing.
In February 2023, PEMRA issued a directive following another terrorist incident in Karachi, in which the regulator prohibited television channels from covering terrorist attacks.
Reacting to the latest show-cause notices issued to multiple television channels, the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (Aemend) stated they were “illegal” and an attempt to exert pressure on media channels.
In a statement, Aemend said that television channels constantly face announced and unannounced restrictions from PEMRA. Aemend said the show-cause notices, based on coverage of the attack, were an attempt to impose illegal censorship on television channels.
Aemend noted that contrary to the “baseless allegations” leveled in the show-cause notice, television channels had covered the incident very responsibly, adding that no institution was above the law and if any broadcaster had violated the code of conduct, it could be looked at as per the law, but in disguise to issue all channels notices displayed malafide intentions and were unacceptable.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has also condemned the show-cause notices. In a statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said that it was a “blatant attempt to pressure and manipulate media outlets.” They called for the withdrawal of the “uncalled for and illegitimate notices.”
