Pakistan's Aaj TV Channel Served Show Cause Notice; Journalists Protest     
'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday temporarily suspended the transmissions of a private AAJ TV Channel after issuing a show-cause notice for violating the rules and regulations by broadcasting talk-shows, debates and news about the ongoing judicial crisis in the country.

PEMRA had directed the Chief Executive Officer of TV Channel through the notice to submit show-cause within three days. Remaining unsuccessful in submission the directions PEMRA would be liable to block the TV channel.

On the other hand officials of AAJ TV Channel termed the suspension of transmissions for six hours (from 0900 to 1500) as the abuse of state power aimed at controlling media.

“Our transmissions remained blocked for six hours, causing the revenue loss worth of millions of rupees” said a high ranking official of the channel said.

“We term the issuance of a show-cause notice and blockage of transmission as an attack on the freedom of media and we will resist against such abuse of power” Talat Hussain phrased the situation with these remarks.

"It was not favourable for the government to open a new front against it by attacking media as the government had already been trapped in judicial crisis", adds the noted broadcast journalist.

Commenting on PEMRA’s stance the TV Channel had failed in getting NOC for short term up-linking, Talat said that, “We were denied of NOC some two months ago and we submitted almost 30 reminders to the concerned department in this regard. PEMRA took no notice of our transmissions during last two months, but took notice of talk-shows, debates and news about the judicial crisis”

He said that the government appreciated our extensive coverage of the events like earthquake, Israel-Lebanon war and others, but issued show cause notice for covering the anti-government protest demonstrations over judicial crisis.

In the meantime international and local journalists protested against the missing of BBC’s correspondent in Palestine, Allen Johnston and imposing temporarily ban transmission and issuance of a show cause notice to a private AAJ TV Channel for broadcasting talk shows, debates and news about the continuing judicial crisis in the country.●