ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Wednesday issued a show cause notice to Neo TV and its anchorperson Fawad Chaudhry who in his programme “Khabar Kay Pichay” had let a guest Riaz Hussain hurl baseless allegations over Pakistan Air Force (PAF) personnel of kidnapping his brother.
PAF later lodged a complaint in PEMRA and strongly dismissed the allegations. According to the complainant, since the host of the programme is also a legal counsel for the guest of his programme Riaz Hussain thus by allowing his client to use media/TV programme as a medium for legal gains, he had misused his position and was a clear example of conflict of interests.
This act of the Neo TV is a violation of the Section 20(c) of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 (Amendment Act 2007), 15(1) of PEMRA Rules 2009 and sections 22, 3(1-i, j, k), 4(6), (7-a), (8), (9), 6, 17 of Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015 as well as the terms and conditions.
The Authority also directed the TV channel administration to submit its reply till April 3, 2017 by 4.00 P.M. and explain as to why the programme should not be banned under Section 27 or a fine of Rs1 million (Section 29) be imposed or the license of the TV channel should be cancelled (Section 30).
Moreover, the Authority also directed the channel’s CEO and the anchorperson to appear in person before the PEMRA hearing committee on April 5 if they wished so. In case of non-compliance the matter will be proceeded ex-parte.