The hustle between the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and BOL Network continues as the authority has once again revoked the license of the self proclaimed number 1 news channel of the country.
Earlier today, PEMRA proceeds with revoking the license of two of the channels network currently owns, BOL News and BOL Entertainment TV channels after Interior Ministry rejected the security clearance of the channel directors – Shoaib A. Sheikh, Ayesha Shoaib Sheikh, Viqas Atiq and Sarwat Bashir.
In its 131st authority meeting held yesterday at PEMRA headquarters, the authority took the decision in light of the recommendations by the Council of Complaints (CoC) Sindh. It’s claimed that the council had rendered the opinion after hearing the channel.
To immediately shutdown the services of the said channels, the regulator body has initiated the notices to concerned departments including PakSat – which broadcasts the channels, the distribution networks and cable operators across the country.
PEMRA has also ordered the channels to surrender the original licenses and clear all the outstanding dues. The authority also publicly announced via its twitter handle.
سیکورٹی کلیئرنس مسترد ہونے پر پیمرا نے بول نیوز اور بول انٹرٹینمنٹ (پاک نیوز) کا لائسنس منسوخ کر دیا pic.twitter.com/FlF8mqex5Z
— Report PEMRA (@reportpemra) May 3, 2017
World Press Freedom Day
If you already noticed, PEMRA took such an action right on the day which is declared as World Press Freedom Day – May 3rd (wikipedia.) The day is also simply called as “World Press Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.”