Senate Committee seeks PEMRA explanation on blocking Imran Khan’s telethon | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Senate Committee seeks PEMRA explanation on blocking Imran Khan’s telethon

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has sought an explanation from PEMRA for blocking the broadcast of the fundraising telethon by PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

Chairman PEMRA Salim Baig appeared before the committee meeting chaired by PTI Senator Faisal Javed and said that two channels were shut down for not having security clearance.

Senate Committee Chairman Senator Faisal Javed said Imran Khan held telethon to raise funds for flood victims but it was also not allowed to be aired. He asked if PEMRA had instructed TV channels to not telecast the telethon for the flood victims.

Chairman PEMRA disagreed and said the media regulatory has not issued any statement or prevented TV channels for airing the telethon.

Senator Faisal Javed said the committee should be told who stopped the transmission of the telethon. “I can’t say who stopped. We did not stop the telethon,” Chairman PEMRA Salim Baig replied.

Faisal Javed asked PEMRA Chairman to submit a written explanation in the next meeting that telethon will be broadcast on PTV and Radio Pakistan and PEMRA will not block TV channels.

The meeting also discussed the issue of the provision of advertisements given to various TV channels during the tenure of the previous PML-N government from 2013-18.

PPP Senator Moula Bux Chandio questioned why regional channels are given less advertisements and analysts as selected only from Lahore and Rawalpindi.

“Why does it happen that Lahore will make the decision, Rawalpindi will decide the system,” he asked. “Pakistan is a federation, everyone should get representation.”

The details of official advertisements given to various TV channels from 2013-18 were submitted to the Standing Committee.

During the five-year tenure of PML-N, advertisements worth Rs62 crores were given to Geo News, Rs8 crore advertisements were given to ARY News. Rs56 crore to Dunya News, and Rs18 crores to Samaa News

Bol News was not given any advertisements during the five-year tenure of PML-N. The Standing Committee asked for details of advertisements during the tenure of the PPP government.

Source: Bol News


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