ISLAMABAD: Senior anchorperson and talk show ‘Off The Record’ host Kashif Abbasi held his programme without interruption on Thursday, within 24 hours of the issuance of a Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ‘prohibition order’ banning the programme and the host for 60 days.
Starting his programme, Kashif Abbasi said he had sent his response to the PEMRA over its ban. The PEMRA had given consent to continue his programme, he said.
Another ARY News anchorperson Arshad Sharif said the PEMRA’s notification did not include a right to reply and after the response was submitted the PEMRA authorities allowed to resume the programme.
Political analyst Saleem Bukhari said no anchor could guarantee what a VIP guest was carrying in his bag.
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On Jan 15, the media regulatory authority had banned Kashif Abbasi and his programme for 60 days over Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda’s improper behavior during a live telecast.
The PEMRA, in its prohibition order, had said Faisal Vawda performed very unethical act and arguments made by him were not only extremely frivolous and derogatory but also an attempt to debase a state institution.
It had termed the role of Abbasi “quite unprofessional” as he did not intervene or stopped the panelist of his live show from making such remarks and bringing an army boot. It had said the programme host took the entire incident casually and kept smiling/ cherishing it.
The electronic media regulatory authority had expressed suspicion over intention of airing the content saying that it appeared to be a deliberate attempt to demean the army institute by dragging it in the debate.
During this programme, Vawda had ridiculed the Pakistan Muslim League-N and Pakistan Peoples Party using an army boot in live TV show.
Talking about consent of the former ruling parties for passage of the services chiefs amendment bills in the parliament, Faisal Vawda had said they had made a turnaround in their political opinion against the national institution to safeguard their personal interest and in a bid to save their skin from corruption cases.
“The way you have given respect to the boot by laying down and smooching it has exposed you to the nation,” he had said.
PML-N leader Javed Abbasi and PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira, who were sharing the panel of representatives of leading political parties, had walked out of the show expressing their abomination against statements of the federal minister.
