Lahore: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a show-cause notice to GeoNews, one of the country’s leading news channels, for broadcasting “Indian content” during its coverage of the death of legendary singer Asha Bhosle.
The Notice and Regulatory Violation
Asha Bhosle passed away on Sunday at the age of 92 due to multi-organ failure. While reporting on her demise, GeoNews aired visuals from Indian films and snippets of her iconic songs. PEMRA contended that this broadcast constitutes a “wilful defiance” of a 2018 Supreme Court of Pakistan judgment that imposes a blanket ban on Indian content in the country.
The regulator cited violations of several PEMRA rules and the Electronic Media Code of Conduct 2015. The CEO of the parent media group has been summoned for a hearing on April 27 to explain why the channel’s license should not be suspended or revoked.
Art vs. Borders: The Media’s Defense
Azhar Abbas, Managing Director of GeoNews, defended the channel’s decision in a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter). He argued that celebrating the work of an icon like Bhosle is customary and that art is a “shared heritage of humanity” that should not be restricted by political borders.
“Asha Bhosle herself admired Pakistan’s legendary singer Noor Jahan, whom she fondly called her ‘elder sister.’ She collaborated with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan… In times of war and conflict, art and artists should not become casualties,” Abbas stated.
Political Reaction
The notice has drawn criticism from within Pakistan’s political circles. Senator Sherry Rehman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) slammed the move, urging PEMRA not to “lose all perspective” and to stop “policing cultural transitions.”
Despite the channel being viewed as close to the current military and political establishment, the regulatory body appears firm in its stance on enforcing the ban, highlighting the deep-seated cultural and political friction between the two nations even in the face of shared musical history.