Islamabad: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a 60-day notice to a talk show aired on channel ARY News for “willful attempt to debase and demean a state institution by dragging it unnecessarily in a debate” on Wednesday.
Sharing the notice to Kashif Abbasi’s show ‘Off The Record’ on Twitter, the regulator said that it has banned the programme for 60 days.
According to the notice, the airing of such content on Tuesday violated the PERMA code of conduct adding that the host of the show Kashif Abbasi was quite unprofessional who actually did not intervene or stop the unethical act performed by one of the panellist, Federal Minister Faisal Vawda during a live show.
Vawda, the Federal Minister for Water Resources came on the talk show to represent his party, the ruling Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). In the middle of the show, the minister took out an army boot he had apparently brought along with him and placed it on the table.
According to Pakistan media reports, Vawda, while responding to a question on Nawaz Sharif’s health, said, “shameless people stoop to any level.”
“You [the PML-N] should have given it respect earlier like we have been doing. You are talking against them (armed forces’ personnel) even when they embraced martyrdom. Today, when it comes to their loot and plunder Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif should hold this [the boot] and tell the people that we will respect the boot and do everything,” the minister added.
Since then, Vawda has been continuously ridiculed and the Abbasi is being blamed for allowing the minister to bring the boot on the set.
The notice further pointed out that the host of the show took the entire incident “casually” and kept cherishing it.
The regulatory body also banned Abbasi from also hosting any show or from appearing on ‘ARY News’ channel or participate as a guest/expert/analyst in any other television channel.
“In case of non-compliance by ARY News, the authority shall proceed under PEMRA laws which may result in suspension/revocation of satellite TV channel conferred t M/s. ARY Communication Pvt Ltd.,” the notice said.
