Pakistan News Channel Geo News Goes Off Air After Govt Orders 15-Day Suspension Over Controversial Muharram Programme

Leading private Urdu television news channel in Pakistan, Geo News, has been suspended for 15 days by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) over content aired during a Muharram programme, saying it could offend religious sentiments and threaten public order.

Media regulator announced the suspension on Saturday, citing a programme titled "Safar-e-Ishq" that was broadcast on June 26 during the month of Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the four sacred months in Islam.

According to Pakistan's media watchdog, the programme included "religious visualisations" that failed to take into account the country's religious, cultural and social sensitivities, according to a report by news agency Reuters.

However, PEMRA has not specified which scenes in the documentary violated broadcasting rules.

PEMRA cites editorial lapse

PEMRA, in its order, stated that the broadcast had the potential to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers, undermine religious harmony, and create a risk of disturbing public peace.

The authority also directed Geo News to conduct an internal inquiry into the editorial lapse and referred the matter to its Council of Complaints.

Geo News issues apology

Earlier on Sunday, Geo News removed the programme from all its digital platforms and issued a public apology. The broadcaster acknowledged what it described as an "editorial error" in its Muharram transmission and expressed regret over the content aired.

In its defence, Geo News, on its website, stated that the documentary had shown rituals practised by a limited number of people [Shias] in Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries, reported Reuters. It maintained that the footage was intended only to depict local customs and traditions, not to endorse or promote any particular religious viewpoint. The Karachi-based channel, however, did not elaborate on the specific rituals shown.

Sectarian sensitivities in focus

The issue is particularly sensitive because some members of Iraq's Shia Muslim community observe Muharram through ta'ziyah processions and dramatic re-enactments depicting early Islamic figures, a practice that many Sunni scholars discourage.

Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, with Shia Muslims accounting for around 10% of the population.