Pemra bars media houses from covering JuD, other proscribed outfits
49
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) called on broadcasters to refrain from covering banned groups, including Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its offshoot Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, as the government widens its crackdown against proscribed outfits in the country.
The order follows the introduction earlier this year of the National Action Plan (NAP) aimed at reining in militancy inside the country after Taliban gunmen massacred more than 150 people at a school in Peshawar in December, 2014.
The directive issued by Pemra on Monday prohibits broadcasters from covering the activities of 72 different outlawed groups, including Jamat-ud-Dawa, the charitable wing of the proscribed group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The LeT has been alleged for carrying out the attacks in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai in 2008 which killed 166 people.
“All satellite TV channels/FM radio licences are therefore strictly directed not to give any kind of coverage to any proscribed organisation including Jamat-ud-Dawa, Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation and Lashkar-e-Taiba,” Pemra said.
The Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation is tied to the JuD and has participated in flood and earthquake relief activities in recent years, including operations following last week's 7.5 magnitude earthquake that killed 272 people in the country.
The regulatory body said media organisations must refrain from broadcasting any advertisement calling for donations to banned organisations.
The directive also prohibits outlets from broadcasting any programme that could potentially incite violence or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order.
Pemra added that non-compliance would invoke legal action that could result in fines or the potential termination of a broadcaster's licence.
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (49) Closed
Nov 02, 2015 10:26pm
Thats highly appreciable, first time I feel Pakistan is serious about terrorism, hope its not another eyewash.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 10:31pm
A step in the right direction for Pakistan. But, I will hold judgement till I see execution. Lot of proclaimations have been made in the past regarding curbing, eliminating the Terrorist Groups only to find that they were just that. There was NO intention or effort behind implementing them.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 10:37pm
Excellent move. Go after these stinking outfits and eliminate them.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 10:38pm
the poisonous snakes must be done away wirth this country has to survive among dignified commity
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 10:50pm
Maybe the government should step in and carry out the relief efforts then?
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 10:58pm
Why not stopping them altogether from carrying out so-called relief works? These lethal people must be stopped. How can I be at peace if my neighbour is in trouble?
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:11pm
Really first good step in correct direction after long time. Every journey start with first step. I hope this journey begins and all the out standing issues get resolved in positive sense for India as well as Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:16pm
How's this going to help. How would public know that the banned organizations are still active. It's another easy exit for government which failed to implement and control these organizations.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:22pm
Voyage to a thousand miles starts with one step. Good Step, terror is never a solution.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:23pm
@haider I am so Thankful that God is changing thought process in pakistani Awam. I can see long lasting peace.....May God help ..........
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:26pm
Very good... There is no space of these such militant groups in Pakistan who on one hand helping people but on other hand killing innocent people. What are they achieving nothing except a place in hell!
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:27pm
Hope this ban should not fade away by time
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:41pm
Good but belated step taken by the government. Our society doesn't need foreign funded mullahs and their organizations.They are enemies of number one enemies of the state and religion.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:43pm
good job done PEMRA
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:44pm
Cut their funding sources.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:48pm
A good step in right direction. It appears that Govt & Army are very serious about going after such groups. These elements have cause a lot of harm to our country and also its relationship with the neighbors such as India. These groups should be isolated and all issues should be resolved with India peacefully. These groups have caused harm not only to lives and property of Pakistani people but also to it's economy.
Recommend
0
Nov 02, 2015 11:58pm
A step in the right direction. The government media can do a lot more to promote peace and brotherhood in and around the nation.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:04am
Who banned them ? Musharraf ? Why not Govt ready to accept all his decisions ?
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:04am
Finally Pakistan is coming in line with the world.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:08am
If they are doing something good for people why is then Pemra bothering about it?
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:12am
To be honest I am surprised to hear Pakistani slamming the terrorist organisation I thought that they support this terrorist organisations because they make india weak but I am glad to see that this is not the case
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:33am
Late but good decision .
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:36am
Too early to say but thank you!
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:39am
This vindicates India's stand that it is not a charitable organization.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 12:52am
Late but at least done. Not just on media, government should also restrain such group's activities on local levels as I observed in some regions
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:03am
A positive step in the direction of peace and prosperous Pakistan. We have seen a lot of terrorism, millions of death, extremism, murder, poverty....now we need to fight against all these. No one should pay money to terrorist organizations small or big. Osama, Mulla Omar, Hafiz Sayeed have destroyed the reputation of Pakistan. This dark era of terrorism must be completely eliminated.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:09am
More than the news I was pleasantly surprised by comments by Pakistanis. Good job guys!
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:11am
just a few more reconcilatory steps like this by both countries may bring together one lost land fighting with each other without worthy reason. best wishes from the other side.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:12am
Great comments from most of the readers. Keep it up. We need this attitude. Let's hope your voice is heard in leaders ears and take actions.
Sadly, Congress party in India is hell bent on maligning current govt at the cost of shaming India at world arena. This is purely because current govt stopped black money from foreign orgs to these NGOs and they are all aligned with cong.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:17am
So not allowed to show the public what is really going on? Looks like we are learning quickly from the Chinese.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:25am
Is media is so careless and senseless they need government to tell about these small things. Anyway step in right direction.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:27am
But why ask media not to report good steps taken by government?? I hope its not a cover up
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 01:39am
This is what I call positive step towards peace.
Love from India.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:36am
Der aaye durust aaye.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:36am
Why has it taken so long to take this simple common sense step ?
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:42am
@Tahir , It is a first step. No coverage means no coverage when they are eliminated by Rangers, slowly, steadily but surely. End of terrorist outfits in Pakistan is near.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:42am
@noor, Ameen!
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:48am
The world salutes Pakistsn for taking steps to prevent terrorist groups coverage via media. They kill and maim innocents to stay in the lime light and they rxpect the main. Stream media yo btodcast it to give them more importance than what they deserve
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 02:55am
Now we will start seeing fruits of NS's last visit to US. This was part of the Obama dictation to NS. Stay tuned to see more in coming days.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 03:00am
What about the newspapers?
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 03:50am
Nothing changes. This organization can freely conduct Public Meetings, Raise millions in funds, Conduct HardCore Arms Training, change name.. If you Ban JuD, it gets renamed as DuJ..
That`s as simple as it is.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 03:51am
Ban on Media should be followed by ban all activities of these organisations.
I do not see the name of Lashkare Jhangvi in the lists of banned organisations.
Is it an honest omission or this organisation does not fall into PEMRA's list of
terrorists?
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 04:03am
never in time. late but good.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 04:05am
does this ban include news about heinous crime they commit? Or even that news will be hidden??
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 04:48am
it is so refreshing to see that out of 19 comments , 18 support this move. Pakistan is changing for the better. god bless - from an Indian.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 04:50am
Probably its a good step in positive direction if concerned agencies are going to act against groups involved in terrorism.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 05:42am
Ban the organisation. Banning the coverage is a farce.
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 05:42am
If the comments here are a true reflection of the Awam and the measures are implemented in earnest then we do have hope for a better tomorrow :) happy :)
Recommend
0
Nov 03, 2015 05:46am
Positive Step. Now let us see how well is it enforced?
Recommend
0
