New Delhi: News Channels ABP News and Tiranga TV received show cause notices from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry on Tuesday for airing the press conference of Pakistan Army on February 22. The channels have been told that they have prima face violated at least two provision of the Programme and Advertising Code of the Cable Television Networks (regulation) Act, 1995
The press conference, addressed by Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor in Islamabad last week, was aimed at countering the allegation that cross-border elements were involved in the Pulwama terror attack. Ghafoor, whose official designation is DG, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), had put the onus on India for the February 14 strike, by citing the alleged excesses committed against the Kashmiri populace.
The telecast of his fabricated counter-allegations against India has landed the two news channels in dock for airing “anti-national” content as the Rule 6 (1) (e) of the Programme Code bars TV channels from airing any programme that promotes an “anti-national attitude” or “anything affecting the integrity of the nation”.
The notice dispatched to Tiranga TV asks the channel why it violated the I&B Ministry directive, by airing the Pakistan Army press conference for a duration of 20 minutes, 45 seconds unabated, without making any effort to point out the factual inaccuracies and falsehood in Islamabad’s claims.
The I&B Ministry had issued a press release on February 14, following the attack in Pulwama, asking all TV channels to be “cautious” which regards to any content which promotes anti-national attitude.
