ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s media regulator imposed a ban on live broadcast of former prime minister Imran Khan’s speeches late Saturday night, saying he was “spreading hate speech” after he criticized senior police officials and a magistrate while addressing a public rally in the federal capital.
Khan held the rally in Islamabad to show solidarity with his chief of staff, Dr. Shahbaz Gill, who told a television talk show earlier this month that army officers should not follow orders of their top command if they were “against the sentiments of the masses.”
His statement was described as “seditious” by the media regulator before Gill was arrested from Islamabad. Subsequently, the former prime minister and his close aides maintained Gill had been “brutally tortured” during police interrogation, though the government denied the claim.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) circulated a notification on Saturday night, saying Khan was making “baseless allegations and spreading hate speech through his provocative statements against state institutions and officers which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order and is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility.”
“After analyzing the content of the speech it has been observed that the content was telecasted live by the licensees without effective time delay mechanism ... [T]herefore, the competent authority i.e. Chairman PEMRA in view of the above mentioned background and reasons, in exercise of delegated powers of the Authority vested in Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007, hereby prohibits broadcast of live speech of Mr. Imran Khan on all satellite TV channels with immediate effect.”
The notification said, however, that Khan’s recorded speeches were permitted to be aired after effective delay mechanism was put in place to ensure effective monitoring and editorial control.
In response to the development, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party urged its followers and workers to subscribe to its YouTube channel while condemning the “fascist” government for trying to ban the speech of its leader on television.
Pakistan’s media regulator imposes ban on live broadcast of ex-PM Khan’s speeches
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Pakistan’s media regulator imposes ban on live broadcast of ex-PM Khan’s speeches
- The decision was announced after the former prime minister criticized senior police officials, magistrate at a public rally
- The media regulator said Khan was making ‘baseless allegations and spreading hate speech’ against state institutions
Islamic military coalition, Pakistan to deepen cooperation to combat ‘terrorism’ — Pakistani military
- Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is a 43-member alliance that includes Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, UAE and other nations
- The Pakistani military statement comes after a meeting between IMCTC secretary-general and the chief of Pakistani defense forces in Rawalpindi
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation, including intelligence sharing and capacity building, to jointly combat “terrorism” and “extremism,” the Pakistani military said on Monday.
The IMCTC is a 43-member military alliance that was formed on Saudi Arabia’s initiative in Dec. 2015 to consolidate Muslim countries’ efforts in countering “terrorism.”
A 17-member IMCTC delegation is visiting Pakistan from Feb. 2-6 to conduct a training at National University of Sciences and Technology on “Re-integration and Rehabilitation of Extremist Elements,” according to the Pakistani military.
On Monday, IMCTC Secretary-General Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi held a meeting with Chief of Pakistani Defense Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to discuss cooperation among IMCTC member states.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest were discussed, with particular emphasis on regional security dynamics and enhanced cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani military’s media wing, said in a statement.
“Both sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism and extremism through collaborative strategies, intelligence sharing, and capacity building among member states.”
The IMCTC features Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Palestine, UAE, Bangladesh and other nations. In 2017, Pakistan’s former army chief Gen. (retd) Raheel Sharif was appointed as the IMCTC commander-in-chief.
During discussions with Major General Al-Moghedi, Field Marshal Munir appreciated the role of IMCTC in fostering stability and promoting coordinated counterterrorism initiatives across the Islamic world, according to the ISPR.
The IMCTC secretary-general acknowledged Pakistan’s significant contributions and sacrifices in the fight against militancy and lauded the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces.
“The meeting underscored the resolve of both sides to further strengthen institutional collaboration for peace, stability, and security in the region,” the ISPR added.
Pakistan enjoys cordial ties with most Muslim countries around the world, particularly Gulf Cooperation Council countries. In Sept. 2025, Pakistan signed a landmark defense pact with Saudi Arabia according to which an act of aggression against one country will be treated as an act of aggression against both.
