Pakistani broadcaster Geo News was handed a 15-day suspension by the country's media watchdog for airing a documentary that was 'liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers.' The channel apologized on Sunday for the program 'Safar-e-Ishq,' which was transmitted during the sacred Islamic month of Muharram.

Geo News acknowledged an 'editorial error' regarding the content aired during its 10th Muharram transmission. The broadcaster stated that the program showed 'certain rituals practiced by a limited number of people in Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries,' without specifying the rituals.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said the broadcast 'constitutes a serious regulatory concern' given religious, cultural, and social sensitivities, and could 'create a risk of disturbance to public peace.' Pakistan has heightened media regulation during Muharram.

Some members of Iraq's Shiite Muslim community perform plays and processions depicting early Islamic figures, known as ta'ziyah, a practice typically discouraged by Sunni scholars. Most Pakistanis are Sunni Muslims, while about 10% belong to the Shiite minority, with tensions occasionally leading to clashes.

Pakistan also has strict blasphemy laws that have at times stirred vigilante violence. The country ranked 158th out of 180 in Reporters Without Borders' 2025 Press Freedom Index.

Source: www.dw.com