ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (Pemra) on Monday issued directives to private electronic media, warning them of legal action in case of airing content against state institutions, Dawn.com reported.

“It has been observed that a few satellite TV channels are airing content which tantamounts to casting aspersions against state institutions i.e. armed forces and judiciary,” said the Pemra directive.

Airing such content violated Pemra rules, provisions of the Pemra Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015 and the principles laid down by the courts, the regulatory body stated.

The watchdog’s directives detailed that freedom of speech and expression were fundamental rights, but they were subject to “reasonable restrictions” imposed by the law in the interest of Islam, the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to the contempt of court or incitement to an offence.

Pemra warns TV channel licence holders of legal action for rules violation

According to the directives, in compliance with relevant Pemra laws and regulations, any entity that is granted a licence by the authority should comply with its codes of programmes and advertisements and appoint an in-house monitoring committee to ensure compliance.

Content of programmes and advertisements broadcast or distributed by the broadcast media or distribution service operator should also conform to the relevant laws and provisions outlined in the directives.

Pemra also made it clear that “the licencee shall ensure that no content is aired which contains aspersions against the judiciary or armed forces of Pakistan”.

The regulatory body directed the licencees to ensure that programmes on sub judice matters are aired in an “informative manner” and “handled objectively” and no content should be aired which could prejudice the determination by any judicial forum.

“Moreover, all satellite TV channels are further directed to ensure that an effective time-delay mechanism be put in place and an impartial and independent editorial board be constituted ... in order to ensure that their platform is not used by anyone for uttering contemptuous remarks in any manner whatsoever against any state institutions,” Pemra ordered.

It warned that legal action under the relevant laws would be pursued in case of any violation.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2022