Independent TV station off air in Pakistan

Islamabad: An independent television station in Pakistan went off the air on Friday while broadcasting a popular political talk show featuring former anchors who were removed from their posts during last year's state of emergency, station officials said.

The station, Aaj, was airing its program “Bolta Pakistan,'' when the station received a call from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority ordering it to stop transmissions, said Talat Hussain, a station official.

He said, “I was told that the president doesn't approve of these anchors … So don't test the president's patience.''