Tag: Neo news

  • ‘Mun bandh karrain’; Barrister Saif has heated on-air exchange with Beenish Saleem

    ‘Mun bandh karrain’; Barrister Saif has heated on-air exchange with Beenish Saleem

    Former Spokesperson for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government and leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Barrister Saif, walked off from a show with Beenish Saleem after shouting on air at the anchor.

    Saif, along with Brigadier (retired) Farooq Hameed, was a guest on Tuesday’s episode of Neo’s ‘Seedhi Baat with Beenish Saleem’, appearing via audio beeper.
    The PTI leader lost his cool when the host asked him why his party approached the court to ensure that elections were not delayed when the Peshawar bombing had taken place just a day earlier and the official three-day mourning was not over.

    “Life goes on. It does not mean that PTI is not saddened by what happened,” Barrister Saif said, adding that linking the elections to what has happened would be a “bhondi harkat” (clumsy attempt). He again emphasised that elections in the province must be held on time.

    Beenish then asked him if he wanted to respond to which he said, “Your mind is already made up. How will I respond.”

    He then accused Beenish Saleem of being “biased”. When the host responded, he said, “Aap apna mun bandh karrain gee to main baat karoon ga,” (I will talk only after you shut your mouth).

    In a progressively heated tone, Barrister Saif then said that Beenish Saleem was only concerned with raising her ratings. “Are you not doing your show? Did you not eat food after the bombing? Does life stop after the incident?”

    When asked once again if PTI Chairman Imran Khan had not asked to hold negotiations with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and set terrorist free as a gesture of ‘goodwill’, Barrister Saif said, “Bandh karrain program aur jaain yahan say,” (Shut down the program and leave) calling the show a “do takkay ka program” (a two-penny program).

    A heated verbal exchange followed, at the end of which Barrister Saif disconnected the phone and walked off the show.

  • Neo TV fined Rs0.5 million for airing Khalilur Rehman’s abusive comments

    Neo TV fined Rs0.5 million for airing Khalilur Rehman’s abusive comments

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has slapped a fine of Rs500,000 (0.5 million) on private TV channel Neo News for violating its law and codes and airing abusive and misogynistic remarks by writer-director Khalilur Rehman Qamar in one of its programmes earlier this year. The regulatory body had earlier also issued a show-cause notice to the channel when the incident took place.

    According to reports, the authority also instructed the TV channel to strictly observe the laws and code of conduct in matters pertaining to gender and to adopt a strict policy in this regard.

    Back in March, a few days before the Aurat March, Qamar and journalist Marvi Sirmed were invited to be a part of a panel discussion on Neo TV’s show Aaj Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Saath. The topic of discussion was a petition against the Aurat March in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The petition, which had called the march “un-Islamic” with a ” hidden agenda to spread vulgarity”, had been dismissed by the court that said it couldn’t be banned under the law of the land. Qamar while speaking against the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi‘ launched a tirade against Sirmed when she murmured the same as he was talking. He hurled expletives her way and abused her on live television.

    The incident had stirred a debate on social media with artists, journalists and politicians condemning the incident and calling for a boycott of Qamar.

    WATCH: Resham tells Khalil ur Rehman Qamar that he is not even worth one ‘taka’

    A number of high court lawyers reportedly also filed complaints in Pemra’s Council of Complaints against the programme. All three complainants stated that Rehman abused Sirmed for chanting the slogan mera jism, meri marzi, calling his conduct “highly objectionable” and against Pemra laws. They argued that the channel violated PEMRA’s directives and failed to perform their duties. It is pertinent to mention here that NEO News issued an apology to Sirmed and did not invite Qamar to any of its programmes again.

    After hearing the arguments from both sides, the Council of Complaints concluded that Qamar’s comments were “abusive and gender-biased” and that the channel violated several laws, including the Constitution by airing his remarks. The council also noted that the channel “failed to observe an effective delay mechanism” and that “the host of the programme could have employed various other methods to control the situation which were not opted at that time.”

    Though the council recommended that a fine of Rs1m be imposed on the channel and a warning be issued to it, they later approved a fine of Rs0.5m on the channel along with a warning.

  • PEMRA issues notice to TV channel for airing Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s vitriol

    PEMRA issues notice to TV channel for airing Khalil ur Rehman Qamar’s vitriol

    The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a show-cause notice to Neo News following the fiasco that took place on the show Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Sath, where Marvi Sirmed and Khalil ur Rehman Qamar were guests.

    The authority sent the notice for the language for the use of ‘vulgar’ language on the show. The notice was issued after famed writer Qamar and social activist Marvi Sirmed were involved in a verbal spat during the show.

    Qamar’s use of abusive comments against Sirmed stirred a debate on social media with artists, journalists and politicians condemning the incident and calling for a boycott of Qamar.

    Read more – Celebrities, politicians destroy Khalil ur Rehman Qamar for misogyny, demand boycott

    Following the incident, Executive Director of the channel Nasrullah Malik and the host of the show Ayesha Ehtesham both have apologised but people are calling for stricter action to be taken.

    Meanwhile, acclaimed actor Resham also appeared on a show in which she appealed to PEMRA to not only take action against the channel and the host but also against Khalil ur Rehman Qamar.

    WATCH: Resham tells Khalil ur Rehman Qamar that he is not even worth one ‘taka’