Pakistan: TV Host Banned For Hate Speech
By UCA News
By Zahid Hussain
Pakistan’s media watchdog has barred firebrand, Aamir Liaquat Hussain from broadcasting after he called missing social media activists and their supporters blasphemers and traitors.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (PERMA), issued a notification late last week prohibiting the religious broadcaster’s program on Bol News with immediate effect.
“Aamir Liaquat … willfully and repeatedly made statements and allegations which tantamount to hate speech, derogatory remarks, incitement to violence against citizens and casting accusations of being anti-state and anti-Islam on various individuals,” the watchdog organization said in a statement.
The Pakistan Broadcasters Association, a body of TV channel owners, supported the ban. “The PBA condemns any kind of hate speech and it stands by civil society and journalists,” they said in a statement.
Jibran Nasir, a human rights activist, also welcomed the ban.
“PEMRA did its job and we should be glad about it but our real job is still left. We can rejoice when the missing bloggers come back home. Back to work!” Nasir said in a statement.
