Defining ‘obscenity’: PEMRA refers the matter to CII

PEMRA chairman briefed a consultative meeting about various terminologies used to define obscenity.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which had been assigned to define the term ‘obscenity’ in a Pakistani context, has decided to refer the matter to the Council of Islamic Ideology and Parliament. The PEMRA chairman briefed a consultative meeting about various terminologies, connotations and expressions used to define obscenity in different countries. One of the petitioners and former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, has maintained that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and its Constitution clearly envisages that there can be nothing against the holy Quran, Sunnah and Shariah. During the meeting, the participants concluded that any content which is unacceptable while viewing with the family constitutes obscenity. They also recommended formulating a committee to screen out unwanted content from TV advertisements as well as regulating the rating of TV channels.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 28^th, 2012.