PEMRA demands on air apology from Aamir Liaquat

28 Mar, 2017

“On or before March 31, 2017, the channel and Dr Aamir Liaquat, shall separately, during the same time slot of the programme ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’, by specifically naming all individual complainants against whom hate speech was aired, apologise unconditionally to the viewers for airing the hate-speech,” PEMRA said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The channel shall also ensure that text to the same effect is also displayed on the screen during the entire programme wherein Dr Aamir Liaquat apologizes to viewers,” the notice added.

The channel has also been ordered to submit an affidavit by the same date assuring PEMRA that no more hate speech will be aired in the future.

The regulatory authority has also made it clear that any case of failure of the channel or Dr Liquat in meeting these directives will result in the show being banned along with the host being disallowed from appearing in any manner on the channel.

Furthermore, a fine of one million rupees has been imposed on the channel.

PEMRA had banned Amir Liaquat's programme 'Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga' for the same reason in the past as well. Liaquat recently came under fire on social media after he levelled allegations of blasphemy against 'disappeared' civil society activists and bloggers in his programme.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017

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