Despite being banned from hosting his ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’ program on Bol News by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Amir Liaquat defied the orders and hosted his show in a business as usual fashion. The media watchdog today served a show cause notice on Bol News for disregarding PEMRA orders.
However, the management of Bol News channel moved to Sindh High Court against the ban and after hearing initial pleas, the high court suspended PEMRA’s ban on Amir Liaquat and his show till next hearing.
Amir Liaquat was banned on Thursday from appearing on Bol News due to numerous complaints against him for inciting hatred and violence through his show ‘Aisay Nahi Chalay Ga’. The flamboyant anchor allegedly termed lawyer and social activist Jibran Nasir guilty of blasphemy and called him an “atheist”.
Mr. Nasir came under the ire of Amir Liaquat for his instrumental role in the campaign against the abduction of the bloggers and social activists Salman Haider and Waqas Goraya who too have been termed as blasphemers, anti-Pakistan, and anti-Islam by Mr. Liaquat.
Today’s show cause notice sought explanation as to why Amir Liaquat not only hosted his programme but also appeared in a promo on the TV screen the same day orders were issued and conveyed to the Bol News management.
پیمرا حکم کی خلاف ورزی پر بول نیوز کو اظہارِ وجوہ کا نوٹس جاری pic.twitter.com/lGxVrSuKB4
— Report PEMRA (@reportpemra) January 27, 2017
Amir Liaquat claimed that he had never incited hatred and violence against anyone. He cited article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan that gives all citizens a right to free speech and said, “whatever I said was according to 1973 constitution of Pakistan”.
