ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday imposed tough restrictions on what can be broadcast on television during Ramadan in Pakistan.
The court urged the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to strictly monitor all TV transmissions, and warned that action would be taken against anyone who fails to comply with the rules.
“No program that is suggestive of containing lottery and gambling, even apparently for Hajj or Umrah tickets, shall be promoted to air either live or recorded,” said Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui. “Programs such as ‘Neelam Ghar’ and those that appear to be like ‘circus’ shows must be stopped.”
A ban was ordered on most foreign dramas, films and advertisements, particularly from India. Siddiqui ruled that the regulations allowed for 10 percent foreign content to be broadcast, subject to the approval of a committee consisting of secretaries and representatives of the ministries of interior, information technology, religious affairs and information, with the participation of PEMRA and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
Siddiqui, who was hearing a code-of-conduct petition challenging morning shows and Ramadan broadcasts, ruled that the state is responsible for providing an atmosphere in accordance with Islamic tenets, as set out in the Qur’an and Sunnah. He noted that the sanctity of Ramadan should not be violated and “it is expected that no channel shall air any program that may disrupt the spirit of this month.”
Any channel found to be broadcasting content deemed obscene, indecent and immoral by the regulator will be penalized in accordance with the applicable laws, according to the judgment.
The petitioners had requested the court to put a stop to vulgarity and immorality on television, particularly during Ramadan schedules and morning shows.
In response to the petition, Ali Zafar, representing the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, questioned the court’s jurisdiction with regards to directing the media regulatory body.
He argued that controlling the media and entertainment industry, or determining what is obscene, indecent, against Islamic values or against the integrity of Pakistan are matters of policy and so fall within the domain of the executive, which must act in accordance with law, and not the court.
“No generalized standard of what is decent or indecent, obscene or not obscene, or against the Islamic values or the ideology of Pakistan can be laid down or applied by the court,” he said.
Arguing that morality and decency are relative terms that vary from person to person, Zafar said the court could not impose its own views on morality and decency on the public.
Allowing such petitions pave the way for all forms of bigotry to have a moral basis for asking the law to abolish freedom of speech and expression, and freedom of the press, which is enshrined in the Constitution as a fundamental right, he said.
Siddiqui noted that Pakistan is an Islamic Republic and an ideological state, with Islam as its state religion. Indecency, immorality and obscenity are against the injunctions of Islam and offensive to constitutional guarantees, he said, therefore law-enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies have a statutory obligation to ensure no activity prejudicial to Islam is permitted.
High court ruling leaves Pakistani broadcasters facing tough Ramadan restrictions
High court ruling leaves Pakistani broadcasters facing tough Ramadan restrictions
- Failure to comply with the rules will result in harsh punishments, as regulator is told to strictly monitor TV transmissions
- “No program that is suggestive of containing lottery and gambling, even apparently for Hajj or Umrah tickets, shall be promoted to air either live or recorded,” said Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui
Nearly 400 Pakistani soldiers killed in counter-terrorism operations in 2024, military says
- Pakistani security forces conducted 59,775 intelligence-based operations this year, killing 925 militants, army says
- Pakistan is battling a resurgence of militant violence particularly in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces
ISLAMABAD: Nearly 400 Pakistani soldiers and over 900 militants have been killed in counter-terrorism operations this year, the Pakistan army said on Friday, as the South Asian nation battles a resurgence of militant violence.
Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces have seen a surge in terror attacks in recent months, with groups like the Pakistani Taliban and other militant and separatist groups attacking security forces’ convoys and check posts and carrying out daily targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said security forces have conducted 59,775 intelligence-based operations this year, during which 925 militants had been killed and hundreds of others arrested.
“Over the last five years, this is the highest number of terrorists killed in a single year,” Chaudhry said at a media briefing, saying 73 of the militants killed were “high value targets.”
“During these counter-terrorism operations in year 2024, 383 brave officers and jawans embraced martyrdom.”
The Pakistani Taliban group, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has increased attacks against Pakistani security forces mainly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, particularly since November 2022 when a fragile truce between the Pakistani Taliban and the state broke down.
The southwestern Balochistan province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran and is home to key Chinese Belt and Road Initiative projects, has also seen a surge in strikes by separatist ethnic militants, who say they are fighting an unfair distribution of the remote, impoverished province’s mineral wealth. The Pakistani state denies the allegation and says it is working for the uplift of local communities.
The attacks in KP have soured Pakistan’s ties with Kabul, with Islamabad frequently accusing the Taliban administration of sheltering and supporting militant groups. Afghan officials deny state complicity, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.
On Wednesday, the Afghan Taliban said at least 46 people had been killed in Pakistani airstrikes in the eastern border province of Paktika. The Pakistan army and government have not officially confirmed the strikes.
“Despite all of Pakistan’s efforts and repeatedly pointing out to the Afghan interim government on the state level, Fitna Al-Khwarij [TTP] and other terrorists have been carrying out terrorist activities in Pakistan using Afghanistan’s soil,” Chaudhry said.
“Pakistan will leave no stone unturned in dismantling terrorist networks and safeguarding its citizens against terrorism.”
Markram leads South Africa to 180-5 in 1st Test against Pakistan
- Aiden Markram was batting on an attractive 81 off 123 balls before Pakistan hit back with two wickets in the latter half of the first session
- Pakistan were dismissed for 211 on Day 1 after Dane Paterson grabbed his second successive five-wicket haul, Corbin Bosch claimed 4-63
CENTURION: Opening batter Aiden Markram closed in on his eighth Test century and led South Africa to 180-5 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan on Friday.
South Africa, which needs to win one of the two Test matches against Pakistan to seal a place in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord’s next year, trails the visitors by 31 on a pitch tailor-made for fast bowlers.
Markram was batting on an attractive 81 off 123 balls before Pakistan hit back with two wickets in the latter half of the first session with captain Temba Bavuma (31) and David Bedingham (30) both edging behind the wickets.
Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne was yet to score but Markram stood tall in the first session and helped South Africa score 98 runs before lunch for the loss of two wickets.
Resuming on 82-3, Markram completed his half century with an exquisite cover driven boundary off Naseem Shah and stretched the fourth-wicket stand to 70 runs with Bavuma before Pakistan got its first breakthrough.
Aamer Jamal was rewarded for his persistent length balls to Bavuma as the South African skipper finally got a thick outside edge while going for a loose drive.
Bedingham counterattacked from the onset, smashing five boundaries in his 33-ball knock and also survived when Pakistan unsuccessfully went for an lbw television review against Naseem Shah’s full pitched delivery, which television replays suggested would have missed the leg stump.
However, Naseem didn’t have to wait long as Bedingham was beaten by some extra bounce and nicked it in the first slip in the penultimate over before lunch.
Pakistan was dismissed for 211 on Day 1 after Dane Paterson (5-61) grabbed his second successive five-wicket haul and debutant Corbin Bosch claimed 4-63, which included a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket.
Shipping service between Karachi, Jebel Ali ports to start from Jan. 13
- The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to leverage its geopolitical position and enhance trade
- The service will promote economic growth and prosperity, and further accelerate regional development
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and DP World, an Emirati multinational logistics company, are set to begin a shipping service between Karachi and Dubai next month, Pakistani state media reported this week.
Pakistan, which has been facing an economic crisis, wants to leverage its strategic geopolitical position and enhance trade with various countries in the region.
Pakistani policymakers consider the United Arab Emirates (UAE) an optimal export destination due to its geographical proximity, which minimizes transportation and freight costs while facilitating commercial transactions.
The shipping service between Karachi and Dubai’s Jebel Ali port is due to begin on Jan. 13, the state-run Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“This shipping service marks a significant milestone in strengthening trade and regional connectivity,” the report read. “It will also promote economic growth and prosperity and will further accelerate the pace of development in the region.”
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner after China and the United States (US), and a major source of foreign investment, valued at over $10 billion in the last 20 years, according to the UAE foreign ministry. It is also home to more than a million Pakistani expatriates.
In January this year, Pakistan and the UAE signed multiple agreements worth more than $3 billion for cooperation in railways, economic zones and infrastructure, a Pakistani official said, amid Pakistan ‘s caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s visit to Davos, Switzerland to attend 54th summit of the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The agreements cover the development of a dedicated freight corridor, multi-modal logistics park, and freight terminals, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Railways secretary, said at the time.
Under the agreements, DP World would carry out infrastructure improvement at Qasim International Container Terminal, Pakistan’s leading trade gateway, as part of the project. The Emirati firm also planned to develop an economic zone near the terminal.
Pakistani Taliban sanctuaries in Afghanistan a ‘red line,’ PM Sharif warns after airstrikes
- Afghan Taliban said 46 including women and children killed in Pakistani airstrikes in border province of Paktika
- Pakistan army, government have not yet officially confirmed strikes which media reported hit militant hideouts
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday urged the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan to take action against militants harboring in the neighboring country, days after Kabul said at least 46 people had been killed in Pakistani airstrikes in the eastern border province of Paktika.
The Pakistan army and government have not yet officially confirmed Tuesday’s airstrikes, which the Afghan Taliban said targeted “mostly civilians.”
Media widely reported on Wednesday Pakistani security forces had targeted multiple suspected hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), dismantling a training facility and killing several insurgents.
Addressing the federal cabinet on Friday, Sharif did not confirm the latest airstrikes but said Pakistan was prepared to protect its sovereignty at “every cost.”
“I feel that this is a red line for us, if TTP operates from there [Afghanistan], it is not acceptable for us and we will defend Pakistan’s sovereignty at every cost,” the PM added. “But I would also like to once again urge the Afghan government to adopt a strategy for this issue, and we are ready to engage in discussions on this matter.”
Border tensions between the two countries have escalated since the Taliban government seized power in 2021, with Pakistan battling a resurgence of militant violence in its western border regions.
Islamabad has accused Kabul’s Taliban authorities of harboring militant fighters, allowing them to strike on Pakistani soil with impunity. Kabul has denied the allegations.
“If we get messages that you want to expand relations with us and on the other hand TTP is given a free hand, then this can’t happen, it’s not possible,” Sharif added.
At a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch also declined to confirm Tuesday’s airstrikes but said Pakistan was committed to the security of its people, and its security and law enforcement personnel conducted operations based on “concrete intelligence” against terror groups operating in the border areas.
“I would like to add here that Pakistan believes in dialogue and diplomacy. We have always prioritized diplomacy in our relations with Afghanistan,” Baloch said. “Despite the presence of terror hideouts and sanctuaries, and the consistent threat they pose to Pakistan, we have always opted for diplomacy.”
Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s demand that Afghanistan prevent the use of its territory for terror attacks against Pakistan, calling on the neighbor to work with Islamabad to combat the threat posed by groups like the TTP.
“And any issues that either side has with regards to border management, trade and transit trade, security, terrorism, these issues remain high on our bilateral agenda,” Baloch added.
The banned TTP group said in a statement on Wednesday the strikes had hit “the homes of defenseless refugees” on Tuesday evening, killing at least 50 civilians, including 27 women and children.
Deadly air strikes by Pakistan’s military in the border regions of Afghanistan in March that the Taliban authorities said killed eight civilians had prompted skirmishes on the frontier.
Saudi Tourism Authority signs up as title partner for Pakistan’s top tourism expo next month
- Fourth edition of Pakistan Travel Mart to be held in Karachi from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, followed by roadshow in Islamabad
- Saudi Arabia will feature a dedicated pavilion offering visitors a glimpse into its rich heritage and tourism destinations
KARACHI: The Saudi Tourism Authority will be the title partner for Pakistan’s premier tourism expo set to take place in the commercial capital of Karachi next month, the organizers of the event said on Thursday.
The fourth edition of Pakistan Travel Mart, a leading travel trade show, will bring together key stakeholders and partners from both Pakistan and around the world at the Karachi Expo Center from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, followed by a roadshow in Islamabad on Feb. 4-5.
“This is big news for us,” Adeeba Khalid Jadoon, Chief Marketing Officer of PTM, said as she announced the Saudi partnership. “We are really delighted to have Saudi Arabia as a destination and the Saudi Tourism Authority as our title partner.”
Speaking to Arab News, Jadoon described the partnership as a “breakthrough” that would strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries.
“The way Saudi Arabia has transformed the tourism landscape, no other country has done that,” she said. “And I think it’s doing exceptionally well when it comes to tourism development, projection of it as a tourism destination.”
Jadoon also praised the “fusion of tradition and modernity” in Saudi Arabia’s tourism offerings.
“There is NEOM, which is completely built on a 100 percent technology foundation, very sleek design, very sleek concept,” she said referring to a futuristic region being built in the desert.
NEOM, a Red Sea urban and industrial development nearly the size of Belgium that is meant to eventually house 9 million people, is central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
“And if you go toward the AlUla site, it’s a cultural preservation site for the travelers. So, in Saudi Arabia you will find every everyone will find everything for them to experience,” Jadoon added, referring to an ancient Arabian oasis city located in Medina Province, which has become a top tourist site in recent years.
Sophia Al Khawar, Head of Trade and Acting Country Head at the Saudi Tourism Authority, highlighted the wide range of offerings that would be available to Pakistani travelers at the event:
“There are new products for Pakistan. We are supporting you with MICE [Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions]. We are supporting you with destination weddings, solo travel for women. Saudi has something for everyone ... We host eight World Heritage sites. We have the biggest rave festival of the world. The most sustainable traveling there is, is there.”
Saudi Arabia will feature a dedicated pavilion at PTM 2025, providing attendees with an immersive experience of the Kingdom’s tourism offerings.
“If you wanted to know more about Saudi and what we’re offering you, you have to visit it at the PTM because everybody would get a good glimpse. So, see you at PTM and then see you in Saudi,” Khawar added.
For the first time, PTM will introduce a dedicated Tech Hall, bridging technology and travel to enhance consumer experiences, organizers said. Supported by industry partners like the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), the Tech District will feature technology companies, innovative platforms, and startups within the travel and tourism sector.
This year’s PTM will also feature a Learning Enclave, an interactive space showcasing insights from both local and international travel, tourism, and hospitality experts. The enclave will host talks, panel discussions, case studies, and immersive demonstrations, “transforming traditional learning spaces into dynamic environments designed to maximize engagement and knowledge-sharing,” a press release said.
