Pakistan suspends Geo News for 15 days over offensive Muharram broadcast

Pakistan has suspended Karachi-based Geo News for 15 days over a Muharram programme that authorities said showed objectionable religious visuals. The channel apologised and removed the content, but the case has revived concerns over Shia-Sunni sectarian sensitivities and media controls under Pakistan's civilian-military hybrid regime.

Pakistan's media regulator has suspended the broadcast licence of leading private Urdu television channel, Geo News, for 15 days over content aired during a Muharram programme, saying it could offend religious sentiments and threaten public order.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) announced the suspension on Saturday, citing a programme titled "Safar-e-Ishq", that was broadcast on June 26 during the month of Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar and one of the four sacred months in Islam.

According to Pakistan's media watchdog, the programme included "religious visualisations" that failed to take into account the country's religious, cultural and social sensitivities, according to a report by Reuters.

In its order, PEMRA said the broadcast had the potential to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers, undermine religious harmony and create a risk of disturbing public peace.

The authority also directed Geo News to conduct an internal inquiry into the editorial lapse and referred the matter to its Council of Complaints.

PEMRA has not specified which scenes in the documentary violated broadcasting rules.

GEO NEWS IS A POPULAR PAKISTANI URDU NEWS CHANNEL

Geo News is one of Pakistan's most widely watched Urdu news channels. Based in Karachi, the organisation employs more than 1,500 staff members, according to reports.

Responding to the suspension, Geo News removed the programme from all its digital platforms and issued a public apology on Sunday. The broadcaster acknowledged what it described as an "editorial error" in its Muharram transmission and expressed regret over the content aired.

Geo News, on its website, stated that the documentary had shown rituals practised by a limited number of people [Shias] in Iraq and some other Middle Eastern countries, reported Reuters. It maintained that the footage was intended only to depict local customs and traditions, not to endorse or promote any particular religious viewpoint. The Karachi-based channel, however, did not elaborate on the specific rituals shown.

Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is one of the holiest and most sensitive periods in Islam. Pakistan typically imposes heightened security and closely monitors media content during the month to prevent sectarian tensions between the Sunni and Shia communities.

Depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and other revered Islamic personalities remain highly controversial in Pakistan. Religious disputes have frequently triggered public protests, while authorities have adopted strict regulatory measures to prevent content that could inflame sectarian or religious sensitivities.

The issue is particularly delicate because some members of Iraq's Shia Muslim community observe Muharram through ta'ziyah processions and dramatic re-enactments depicting early Islamic figures, a practice that many Sunni scholars discourage.

Pakistan is a Sunni-majority country, with Shia Muslims accounting for around 10% of the population, and sectarian tensions have periodically erupted into violence.

The suspension comes amid continuing concerns over press freedom in Pakistan. Media organisations have long alleged increasing regulatory pressure, with television channels facing suspensions, transmission restrictions and censorship.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Pakistan 153rd out of 180 countries in its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, reflecting ongoing concerns over media independence under Pakistan's civilian-military hybrid regime.

Pakistan also enforces stringent blasphemy laws, under which allegations of religious offence have, on several occasions, sparked mob violence and vigilante attacks.

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