One of the guest speakers in the Ramzan transmission is cleric Hanif Qureshi, who inspired Mumtaz Qadri to kill former Punjab governor Salman Taseer in 2011 for opposing Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws. Qadri had claimed after his arrest that he had been inspired to act by a 2010 sermon delivered by Mufti Qureshi in Rawalpindi, in which the cleric branded the likes of Taseer as liable to be killed under Islamic law.

During the Ramzan transmission, Faysal Qureishi had demanded action against people he thinks are blasphemers in front of several controversial clerics.

His remarks received widespread condemnation with many social media users calling him out for hatemongering and tagging PEMRA on the clips. However, later religious group Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan also spearheaded a campaign supporting the actor and targeting social media users criticising him.

In Pakistan, even allegations of blasphemy can result in mob lynchings– in 2008, three Ahmadis were killed because of incitement to violence during a Geo tv Ramzan transmission hosted by Aamir Liaquat.

Despite social media users demanding that PEMRA take action against the transmission, the media regulatory authority has remained silent.

However, PEMRA issued a show-cause notice to SUCH TV, and Geo News, for “airing footage” of the Quetta blast yesterday.

Chairman PEMRA issuing notices to channels What’s his agenda God knows better @Marriyum_A @CMShehbaz https://t.co/3GdQEHwd4L pic.twitter.com/mTfbWVDcu9

— Mohsin Raza KHAN (@mohsinrz) April 11, 2023

The PEMRA had earlier banned coverage of “unfortunate and unpleasant incidents” such as bomb blasts and firing incidents.

News Desk

dissenttoday.net

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