Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has suspended the broadcasting licence of Geo News for 15 days with immediate effect. The decision was taken after the regulator raised concerns over a special Muharram transmission that allegedly included sensitive religious visual content.
According to PEMRA, the action relates to the programme “Safar-e-Ishq,” which was aired during the channel’s special coverage of Ashura on the 10th of Muharram. The authority stated that the visual presentation shown during the programme had the potential to hurt religious sentiments and disturb religious harmony. It also warned that such content could create risks for public peace and law and order.
In its official order, PEMRA said its Monitoring Wing carefully reviewed the transmission. The regulator concluded that the programme crossed acceptable editorial limits because of the religious, cultural, and social sensitivities linked to the content.
The authority stressed that television broadcasters must exercise extra editorial care while airing religious programmes. This responsibility becomes even more important during sacred occasions such as Muharram, when millions of people closely follow religious broadcasts.
PEMRA stated that Geo News failed to meet its responsibilities under several media laws and regulations. These include the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, PEMRA Rules 2009, Television Broadcast Station Operations Regulations 2012, and the Electronic Media (Programmes and Advertisements) Code of Conduct 2015. The regulator also referred to its advisory issued on June 15, 2026, which instructed broadcasters to preserve the sanctity of Muharram-ul-Haram.
Using its powers under Section 30 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002, the authority ordered the immediate suspension of the channel’s licence for 15 days. During this period, the transmission will remain off air across satellite services and all distribution platforms. Cable operators and other distribution service providers have also been directed to enforce the suspension without delay.
Apart from the suspension, Geo News has been instructed to conduct a detailed internal inquiry into the incident. The investigation will examine editorial, monitoring, and compliance procedures that allowed the disputed content to be aired.
The channel must submit a complete report to the Council of Complaints. The report should explain the reasons behind the broadcast and outline corrective and preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
PEMRA further directed its regional offices and relevant departments to ensure the suspension order is fully implemented. The authority clarified that this action does not prevent any additional legal or regulatory proceedings if required under the law.
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The suspension is considered one of the strongest regulatory actions taken against a major Pakistani television news channel in recent years. The case is expected to remain under review as the Council of Complaints continues its proceedings.
