Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has recently asked to TV channels to immediately stop unethical indecent and vulgar content and programs. PEMRA issued this notice on directives of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Broadcasting & National Heritage.

PEMRA has asked Channels to avoid vulgar scenes and excessive advertising

PEMRA is also concerned about excessive religious consumerism and Commercial programs broadcasted in the Holy month of Ramadan.

According to PEMRA such programs distort the sanctity of holy month of Ramadan by the kind of practices they hold. The Authority directed all TV channels to follow below rules:

• No TV channel should air foreign content for more than 10% of total air-time, i.e. more than 2 and half hour of foreign content per day
• Combined duration of ADs with-in an hour should not exceed 12 minutes
• Programs promoting religious consumerism particularly hurting sanctity of the Holy month of Ramadan
• Not to use songs during news bulletins
• Programs and commercials containing indecent and objectionable clips etc.
• Programs on re-enactment and dramatization of crimes.

Further, the Authority has also guided private TV channels to telecast national anthem before the start of every day transmission to promote patriotism. PEMRA has also advised TV channels to develop positive programs for the children as there are no serious children programs currently being broadcasted and only couple of International channels are presently catering to this need.