ISLAMABAD: Federal government has banned the media coverage of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) following the outfit that was added to the international list of banned and extremist groups.
According to the Interior Ministry, the decision was taken after the addition of the group’s name in the United Nations’ (UN) list of terrorist groups.
JuD head, Hafiz Saeed, has been struggling against the charges from India for reportedly planning the Mumbai attacks occurred at November 11, 2008 in which killed at least 160 people and dozens others got injured.
Moreover, in June last year, US announced JuD a part of Lashkar-e-Taiba that is a condemned outfit. Washington also declared head money of almost 10 million dollars for Hafiz Saeed.
PEMRA ordered: All satellite TV channels/FM radio licences are therefore strictly directed not to give any kind of coverage to any proscribed organisation including Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation, Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The direction also acted in accordance with the “National Action Plan (NAP)” visioned at control in militancy inside the country right after terrorists militants attacked at Army Public School (APS) killing more than 150 people including 134 children.
The Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation is linked to the JuD and has taken part in flood and earthquake relief activities in latest years also including the operations that occurred after last week’s earthquake of magnitude 7.5 which killed at least 272 people across the country but most of the casualties occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwan (K-P).
Media organisations must stay away from broadcasting any publicity calling for aid to banned organisations.
It is also now prohibited over outlets from broadcasting any program that could include any violence or is biased to the maintenance of law and order.
PEMRA also added that the if not acted upon the order, it would openly challenge the legal action that may result in fines and termination of that broadcaster’s licence.
The order was declared after the review of the 20-point National Action Plan.