ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) restored on Sunday private TV news channels after the transmissions remained suspended for more than 24 hours but with a warning that they would be taken off-air again in case of violation of the code of conduct while covering the agitation at Faizabad and elsewhere in the country.

“On the directives of the government, Pemra is pleased to withdraw authority’s earlier decision of Nov 25 wherein transmission/licences of the news and current affairs satellite TV channels were suspended,” said a Pemra press release.

It said news and current affairs satellite TV channels had been restored and all distribution networks had been directed to restore these channels to their original positions immediately.

Pemra warned the TV channels of action if any violation of the code of conduct was committed. “The federal government has also issued policy directives asking the authority to take those current affairs channels off-air, which would violate the agreed guidelines regarding coverage of Faizabad sit-in at Islamabad and elsewhere in the country in this connection,” it added.

Pemra has also sent the government’s guidelines to the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA).

Private news channels went off-air across the country on Saturday after Pemra issued a notification prohibiting live coverage of the operation to end the Faizabad sit-in.

Pemra had ordered the channels to abide by Clause 8 (8) of the Electronic Media (Program­mes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct, 2015, to show “utmost sensitivity” and refrain from covering the operation.

While suspending the service of private TV channels, the government had alleged that some of them had violated the code of conduct by covering the operation live.

But people from all walks of life criticised the government’s move, saying that it was their right to know what was going on in the country.

The Pakistan Telecom­munication Authority (PTA) also announced that social media websites — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, DailyMotion and Twitter — would be unblocked.

When contacted, PTA spokesman Khuram Mehran said: “Social media sites are being restored in Pakistan.”

People complained of not being able to access Instagram — an application that allows users to upload images and videos.

With TV channels and social media websites blocked, users followed news channels online for updates.

The government had directed the PTA to block access to information until the law and order situation was restored.

However, the residents in areas adjacent to Faizabad continued to experience poor 3G and 4G internet services on their handsets as data services provided by mobile phone operators remained suspended.

The use of virtual private network (VPN) increased significantly as tech-savvy users resorted to bypass the blockade. Infor­mation technology entrepreneurs complained of losing some business when they could not connect to social media websites.

The PTA, however, said that the decision for blocking or restoration of social media or any other website was taken by the government and it implemented the directives accordingly.

But even as the social media sites largely remained inaccessible, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal nevertheless took to Twitter to air his concerns.

On Sunday afternoon, he tweeted the Islamabad High Court’s order, ostensibly to deflect some of the criticism the government had been facing after the botched operation a day earlier.

Besides, he singled out the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, which has been very vocal in its criticism of the government’s handling of the issue, even calling for Mr Iqbal’s resignation. “Unfortunate that PTI [is] providing support to riots and protests by [Tehreek-i-Labbaik Ya Rasool Allah],” he alleged.

“We have to save and defend Pakistan from bigotry and hatred. Attacks on houses is not teaching of the [Holy] Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” he said, referring to a series of attacks on the PML-N leaders’ homes in Punjab.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2017