ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Thursday barred television channels from airing the speeches of the absconding accused and proclaim offenders.

A statement issued by PEMRA, said the authority banned to broadcast the speeches and interviews of proclaimed offenders and absconders on electronic media. 

PEMRA issued the statement after the speeches of former Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif were aired on the different TV channels. In 2019, PEMRA had directed all satellite television channels licensees to constitute an in-house committee to ensure compliance with the Electronic Media Code of Conduct, 2015.

The directives issued by PEMRA said TV channels should ensure deployment of effective time delay mechanism and an impartial and independent Monitoring Committee or Editorial Board be constituted, as required under Clause 17 of Electronic Media (Programs and Advertisement) Code of Conduct 2015, Radio Pakistan reported.

The news channels’ owners have been asked not to allow their platforms to be used by anyone to mislead public through disinformation conjecturing and speculations.

PEMRA warned the media owners that licensee shall be held responsible for any biased, unfair analysis or propaganda against the judiciary and state institutions by their employees.