Pakistan's Geo News apologizes for Muharram broadcast

https://p.dw.com/p/5GD1QGeo News is a major TV news channel based in the southern Pakistani metropolis of KarachiImage: Akhtar Soomro/REUTERSAdvertisementPakistani broadcaster Geo News on Sunday apologized for airing a documentary after it was handed a 15-day suspension a day earlier.

Geo News said it apologized for the contents of the program "Safar-e-Ishq" that was transmitted during the sacred month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. "Geo News has acknowledged an editorial error regarding content aired during its 10th Muharram transmission," the broadcaster said on its website. It said that the program had shown "certain rituals practiced by a limited number of people in Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries."

It did not clarify what rituals were portrayed in the documentary.Pakistan's PEMRA watchdog took the Geo News TV channel off air on SaturdayImage: Akhtar Soomro/REUTERS What did Pakistan's media watchdog say about the Geo News suspension? The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said on Saturday that the "broadcast of such visual representation, given the religious, cultural and social sensitivities, constitutes a serious regulatory concern," adding that the program in question "was liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers…

and create a risk of disturbance to public peace." Pakistan has heightened media regulation during the sacred month of Muharram. The statement also did not provide further details of the documentary's content.

Some members of Iraq's Shiite Muslim community carry out plays and processions depicting early Islamic figures, known as ta'ziyah, a practice typically discouraged by scholars from Islam's more widespread Sunni sect. Most Pakistanis are Sunni Muslims, while some 10% belong to the Shiite minority. Tensions between the two groups have led to clashes in the past.

Pakistan also has strict blasphemy laws that have at times stirred vigilante violence. The South Asian country was placed 158th out of 180 countries ranked on Reporters Without Borders (RSF)'s Press Freedom Index in 2025. Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru Don't let the algorithm hide the news.

If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google by clicking here and hitting the "star" or "preferred" button, so you'll always see our verified news first. Advertisement More on Politics from AsiaHow China's rise is shaping Trump's strategy in AsiaMight Trump abandon Taiwan to China? Allies in the region fear if he does, they might be next.

Politics06/27/2026June 27, 202625:40 minJimmy Lai's daughter: 'All my father did was journalism'At the Global Media Forum 2026, Claire Lai spoke about her imprisoned father's health and struggle for press freedom.Politics06/23/2026June 23, 202608:25 minAfghan Taliban clamp down on women, smartphones, protestsThere are signs of deep anxiety behind the Taliban's crushing grip on Afghanistan as they near five years in power.Politics06/23/2026June 23, 2026Show more More on Politics from around the world'Operation Purgatory': Magyar moves to demolish Orban systemHungary's new prime minister is moving swiftly to fight corruption, reform the media and protect democracy.

Politics06/28/2026June 28, 2026Albania's 'Flamingo Revolution': What's behind the protests?Albania's protesters say they are fighting for democracy. Premier Edi Rama insists the movement is part of a hybrid war.

Politics06/27/2026June 27, 2026Inside Peter Thiel's secretive elite Dialog clubDW examines whether the billionaire is a contrarian thinker, or part of a wider pattern of elite influence in politics.Politics06/27/2026June 27, 202611:29 minShow more Related topics