PEMRA recommends fine against Neo TV

A fine of Rs200,000 recommended on failure of the TV channel to edit its show ‘Tabdeeli’

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has recommended imposition of a fine on Neo TV over its failure to edit its ‘Tabdeeli’ show.

According to a press release, Pemra’s Council of Complaints in its 65th meeting held on Thursday in Lahore recommended imposition of Rs200,000 fine on Neo TV due to defamatory remarks made against politicians, scholars, advocates, judges and journalists by Zaid Hamid.

“Pemra Chairperson Dr Mehdi Hassan, while hearing a separate complaint filed by Saleem-ud-Din, Nazim of Amoor-e-Amma Rabwa against Channel 92 and Neo TV on telecasting a programme on Ahmadiyya community, commented that as per the Constitution of Pakistan and philosophy of founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, all citizens of Pakistan have equal rights,’ the statement said.

It said in response to a public announcement made on Facebook by Orya Maqbool Jaan, an anchor at Neo TV, more than a hundred lawyers and other people thronged Pemra’s conference room on Jaan’s personal appearance before the council and raised slogans.

The council requested the crowd to let the council decide about the maintainability of the petition; however, the unruly crowd continued to chant slogans.

“After perusal of the contents of the complaints and hearing the respondents, the council unanimously recommended that the complaint is not maintainable in the light of the Constitution of Pakistan,” it said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2016.