Pakistan: TV journalist from ARY News arrested hours after channel taken off air

A day after the popular Pakistan television station ARY News, critical of the government, was taken off air for allegedly airing “seditious” content, the outlet’s Senior Executive Vice President Ammad Yousaf was arrested from Karachi in the early hours of Wednesday, the channel said.

Yousuf’s arrest comes after the channel, which is the country’s biggest private broadcaster, was served a show-cause notice by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday.

ARY News said that a raiding team in plain clothes broke into Yousaf's house in the middle of the night. It has termed Yousaf’s arrest as retaliation by the government against the channel.

ARY News received a notice from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) which said that the channel was taken off air “for airing objectionable, hateful, seditious, based on absolute disinformation with clear and present threat to national sec by instigating rebellion within the armed forces with malafide intent to cause rift between govt and forces”.

PEMRA has also directed the channel’s CEO to appear in person for a hearing on August 10.

With ANI inputs

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