On 13 October 2026, Pakistan’s electronic media regulator, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), issued a fresh directive that bars satellite television channels from broadcasting, re‑broadcasting, or providing live coverage of any explosion, blast, firing incident, or terrorist attack unless the information has been verified by a government or law‑enforcement agency. The order, which references a Prohibition Order dated 20 February 2023, also obliges broadcasters to employ time‑delay mechanisms and to establish independent editorial boards in line with Supreme Court Suo Moto Case No. 28 (2018) and an Islamabad High Court order of 5 September 2022 (CMA No. 102 2022). Violations are punishable under Sections 29A, 30 and 33 of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 (as amended). (PEMRA official letter, Oct 13 2026)
The regulator frames the measure as a safeguard against the spread of unverified, panic‑inducing reports that can fuel communal tension or serve propaganda purposes. By insisting on verification before airtime, PEMRA argues that it is protecting the public from misinformation while still allowing legitimate, fact‑checked coverage of security incidents. The directive echoes a similar order issued on 20 February 2023, which also prohibited live coverage of terrorist events without prior confirmation. (PEMRA letter, Feb 20 2023 reference)
Critics, however, quickly seized on the language of the new rule as a thinly veiled tool for censorship. A series of public posts on the day the directive was released accused PEMRA of orchestrating a “cover‑up” and silencing dissenting voices. One user described the move as a “blatant cover‑up” that would hide failures of the military regime, while another warned that “no cameras = no accountability,” suggesting that the ban could be used to conceal civilian casualties during security operations. (Public tweets, Oct 14 2026)
