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PEMRA fines news channel Rs10 million, bans Fiza Ali show

ByJustpaste.in

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting convened a high profile session at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) headquarters, revealing pressing issues affecting Pakistan’s media sector, including heavy fines, project funding discrepancies, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The session, chaired by Mr. Pullain Baloch, highlighted a landmark enforcement action where Local News Channel was fined 10 million PKR for serious content violations, a penalty exceeding the typical 1 million PKR limit due to the case’s gravity. Officials confirmed the amount had been deposited into the Federal Consolidated Fund to maintain regulatory compliance.

The committee also examined entertainment content, focusing on morning shows. A notable case involved performer Fiza Ali, whose program was removed from broadcast for airing content deemed inappropriate for family audiences. Despite this, her social media activity remained outside PEMRA’s jurisdiction, highlighting regulatory gaps in digital media oversight.

Another key revelation was a coordinated cyber attack in March 2024, targeting Geo News, Abb Takk, Hum TV, and ARY. Satellite transmissions were compromised, and social media accounts were hacked. PEMRA has mandated all licensees to undergo cybersecurity audits and upgrade their systems by August 2026 to prevent future breaches.

Worker welfare and salary recovery were also discussed. The PEMRA Council of Complaints reported 437 complaints regarding unpaid wages, with successful recoveries, notably at Bol TV. The committee directed that government advertisement clearances be linked to the timely payment of staff salaries.

Discrepancies in staffing at regional stations were flagged, with Khairpur station employing 49 staff compared to 75–89 staff in other regional hubs like Quetta and Peshawar, raising concerns about resource allocation and operational efficiency.

MNA Sehar Kamran raised serious objections regarding the 2026-27 Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). She questioned the increase from 14 projects costing 12.3 billion PKR to 17 projects totaling 14.5 billion PKR, including 10 unapproved projects, demanding transparency on decision-making and additional expenditures.

The committee also reviewed violations by an entertainment channel airing content described as “excessively liberal,” which prompted discussions about the absence of a pre censorship system to prevent public offense.

The session underscored ongoing challenges in media regulation, project oversight, cybersecurity, and worker protections, highlighting the need for stronger accountability and transparent implementation of government directives.

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