Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has ordered all private TV channels of the country to avoid offending religious sentiments and the corruption towards the moral values of Pakistani youth on their valentines day broadcasts. PEMRA issued a letter to almost every Private Tv channel, whether News or Entertainment- saying that it was acting on complaints that celebrating the day was not in line with “our religious and cultural ethos”.
The authority also clarified that it has not ordered the Channels to ban Valentine’s Day program’s broadcast, but instead issued a request to channels in the light of an increase in public complaints. The request by PEMRA is conducted as a result of increase in protest by Islamic moments in the past week. Yesterday the student wing of Pakistan‘s main Religious Political Party rallied outside the press club in the northwestern city of Peshawar, chanting slogans against Valentine’s Day, saying it had “spread immodesty in the world”.
You can say it undoubtedly that Valentine’s Day is increasingly popular among Pakistani youngsters, many of whom have taken up the custom of giving cards, chocolates and gifts to their sweethearts to celebrate the occasion. In contrary to this trend Pakistan still remains a deeply traditional Muslim society where many disapprove of Valentine’s Day as a Western import.
Below is the letter, Issued by PEMRA to TV channels:
