Pak bans media coverage of Hafiz Saeed's JuD(Update)

Pakistan Government has ordered national broadcasters to prohibit coverage of banned groups including Jamaat ud Dawa, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Falah-i-Insaniant Foundation (FIF).

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has issued directive to the broadcasters to refrain from covering any activities or advertisement calling for donations by 72 banned organisations.

The list circulated by PEMRA has stated JuD and FIF as 'aliases' of extremist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The list circulated stated 'vide letter reference included 879(i)/2005 on 19-08-2005 (against Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), SRO. 1236(i)2008 on 11-12-2008 (against Jamatud Dawa as an alias of LeT) and SRO.267(i)2012 on 16-04-2012 (against Falah-i-Insaniant Foundation (FIF) as another alias of LeT) to implement the sanction measures in line with UN Security Council decisions', The Nation reported.

Hafiz Saeed is the mastermind of 2008 Mumbai terror attack which killed over 166 people.

The directive has been issued following the review of the 20-point National Action Plan (NAP).

Any breach of the order would result to legal action against the broadcasters that can lead to heavy penalty or potential termination licence.

It also prohibits the media from broadcasting any programme that could provoke violence or is harmful to the maintenance of law and order in the country.