Leading TV Channel fined by PEMRA over airing defamatory comments
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The council of complaints (CoC) at Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Friday issued a Rs300,000 fine on Labaik Pvt Limited after finding it guilty of violating Section 20 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002.
“The CoC heard the case two times but [Labaik Pvt Limited] does not appear to take the case seriously,” said an internal letter seen by *Profit* from Ashfaq Ahmed Jumani, secretary to the CoC Sindh. “CoC is of the view that Bol News Network has stated/aired unjustified and defamatory campaign through its program ‘Ab Pata Chala’ against complainants Raihan Ali Merchant, Ahsen Idris and their companies.”
In his letter, Jumani said that CoC members observed that the Bol New Network levelled serious charges against the complainants and their companies without offering any evidence to back up the allegations being made during the programme. He added that the representative from Bol News Network – Azhar Shamim – failed to defend or offer a satisfactory reply to the CoC in contents of complaints.
The CoC, the letter states, concluded that Bol News Network violated the established principles of reporting and journalism.
