Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) strongly condemns the decision of PEMRA, an electronic media regulatory authority, to ban the transmission of Bol News and Bol Entertainment. We urge the authorities to look into this matter and immediately lift the ban on both and ensure that the transmission should not be suspended until the completion of legal procedures.
On Sep 5, 2022, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) announced to stop of the broadcasting of Bol News and Bol Entertainment due to the failure of security clearance from the interior ministry.
The notice issued by the regulatory body said that a meeting presided over by the authority Chairman Saleem Baig held in Islamabad reviewed matters related to the issuance of licenses to Bol News and Bol Entertainment and decided to shut down the transmission on an immediate basis and could not be allowed to operate until the Ministry of Interior issued a security clearance.
The announcement said that the licenses issued to M/s Labbaik Private Limited were revoked in 2017 by the authority. However, on May 5, 2017, The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the restoration of the license of the channel, Dawn reported.
The management of Bol TV has announced that they would continue to stand by the veracity and truth. It said, “Let the Bol TV speak”. The management said that Bol has been punished for telecasting the public meetings of Imran Khan and the PTI, Bol News reported.
Earlier on Aug 21, 2022 the broadcast regulator Pemra imposed a ban on broadcasting live speeches of former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels.
Political, religious, and social circles and people from all walks of life have strongly condemned the ban.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan has strongly censured the blockage of Bol TV transmission. He tweeted: “Imported govt has taken media & journalists’ censorship & persecution to fascistic levels. Now Bol has been suspended simply because it gave us coverage. The message to all media houses is to blackout the largest & most popular national pol party from mainstream media. Unacceptable.”
Chairman Executive Committee of Pakistan Bar Council and Former Federal Law Secretary, Masood Chishti condemned the ban on Bol News.
He observed that such a ban is a violation of the constitution and laws and fundamental rights. The Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court also made this clear during the hearing yesterday.
If a journalist speaks wrongly, he should be banned but not the entire channel should be closed. He maintained that thousands of people are employed with this channel, and this kind of closure is highly condemnable.
Journalists’ organizations including PFUJ, RUJ, and KUJ have strongly condemned the closure of Bol News and Bol Entertainment. They demanded the government immediately end the ban on Bol news channel, Bol News reported.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) condemned the cancellation of the license of BOL News. According to the details, PFUJ has expressed a strong reaction against the cancellation of the license of Bol News and warned the government not to try to stifle the freedom of expression and take away the freedoms of freedom of expression given in the Constitution of Pakistan.
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