Two TV shows in Pakistan were taken off air on Friday for discussing blasphemy laws, Mail Online reports.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said in a statement “an immediate ban has been imposed on TV One’s programme Ishq-e-Ramazan, and Aaj News’ programme Ramazan Hamara Iman”.
PEMRA said both channels had violated its code of conduct by promoting sectarian views and disgracing the holy month of Ramadan. It took action after receiving 1133 complaints.
In 2014 police registered a case against Geo TV under Pakistan’s blasphemy and terrorism laws for playing a Sufi song about the marriage of the Prophet Mohammad’s daughter, Fatima, to Ali, the fourth caliph of Islam, during a re-enacting of a film star’s marriage on the channel’s popular ‘Get up, Wake up, Pakistan’ morning show.
The penalty for blasphemy in Pakistan is death. Although executions are rare, many of those convicted are freed on appeal to face mob justice. The laws continue to be abused to settle personal scores, particularly against Christians, who experience more violence than almost anywhere else.
Pakistan was sixth in the 2016 Open Doors World Watch List of places where it is difficult to live as a Christian.