The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) officially referred the suspension of Geo News’ license to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on Wednesday, seeking religious guidance on the matter. The regulatory body had previously suspended the channel’s transmission for 15 days on June 28 following a special Muharram 10 broadcast. According to officials, the controversial program contained sensitive material that was liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers across the country.
Consequently, Council of Complaints (CoC) Chairperson Lubna Zaheer dispatched a formal letter dated July 1 to the CII chairman requesting an expert evaluation. The council specifically asked the apex religious body to determine whether the 15-day satellite shutdown, combined with Geo News’ public apology, constitutes an adequate legal and moral response. Furthermore, PEMRA requested the CII to submit its official recommendations within the next seven days, setting a strict deadline for July 8.
Meanwhile, Geo News issued a comprehensive public statement acknowledging the broadcast as a grave, unintentional editorial error. The network explained that the transmission merely depicted localized Middle Eastern rituals from Iraq rather than promoting any specific religious ideology. Therefore, the management immediately removed the offensive content, broadcast an on-air apology, and issued formal show-cause notices to the responsible reporter and editorial committee members.
Ultimately, the CoC will review the CII’s upcoming religious counsel alongside the statutory provisions of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 and the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015. The regulatory framework will help determine if further penal or disciplinary actions are warranted against the media group. Until the advisory deadline concludes next week, the channel’s transmission remains completely suspended across all satellite and domestic distribution networks.
