ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top tv station Geo News on Monday defended its coverage of the death of Indian singer Asha Bhosle after the electronic media regulator warned it could suspend or revoke the channel’s license for airing Indian songs and film footage.
The response came a day after the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority issued a show-cause notice, saying Geo’s broadcast had violated a court-backed ban on Indian content.
The dispute highlights longstanding cultural and media restrictions between neighbors and archrivals Pakistan and India, where political tensions have often translated into reciprocal bans on entertainment content despite deep shared artistic traditions across the subcontinent.
“PEMRA has issued a show-cause notice to Geo News for airing content related to the legendary subcontinent singer Asha Bhosle,” Azhar Abbas, managing director of Geo News, wrote on X.
“It has always been customary to revisit and celebrate the work of iconic artists when reporting on them,” he added. “In fact, for an artist of Asha Bhosle’s stature, we should have shared even more of her timeless and memorable songs than we did.”
Bhosle, one of South Asia’s most celebrated playback singers, died on Sunday at the age of 92 in Mumbai. She recorded thousands of songs and maintained artistic ties with Pakistan, including collaborations with the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
PEMRA’s notice, dated April 12, said the channel had broadcast Indian songs and film visuals “in willful defiance” of a 2018 ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan prohibiting Indian content on local television. 
The regulator directed Geo’s chief executive to respond within 14 days and appear for a hearing on April 27, warning that penalties could include fines, suspension or revocation of the broadcaster’s license.
The regulatory move also drew criticism from political figures, with Sherry Rehman urging restraint.
“She did not just belong to one country, she defined an entire era of South Asian melodic content,” Rehman said. “Please, let’s not lose all perspective here PEMRA and start policing cultural transitions.”
PEMRA first imposed a ban on Indian content in 2016, which was struck down by the Lahore High Court before being reinstated by the Supreme Court in 2018.
