Geo News, one of Pakistan’s biggest news channels and a pioneer of private media since the early 2000s, is now facing serious legal action from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). The regulator has cancelled the channel’s license for 15 days after it aired sensitive religious content.
The controversy started with a program called Safar e Ishq, which aired on Geo News during Muharram. The show sparked backlash after it showed the silhouette of holy personalities, something many viewers found deeply offensive and disrespectful.
Following the backlash, PEMRA took action against the channel for airing what it called sensitive material, suspending Geo News’s license for two weeks. ARY News was among the channels that reported on the license cancellation, bringing wider attention to the issue.
Geo News later issued an apology for the program, acknowledging that a mistake had been made in airing the content.
The decision has been welcomed by the public, with many supporting the suspension and even calling for a permanent ban on the channel. One social media user commented, “Good decision,” while another wrote, “They should be banned permanently.” A third user said in Urdu that such sensitive content should never have been aired in the first place.
The incident has reignited conversations around responsible media coverage in Pakistan, especially when it comes to religious sensitivities during sacred months like Muharram.
