JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 13, 2024 at 05:19 pm | JP Staff Reporter
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ISLAMABAD — In yet another instance of escalating media censorship in Pakistan, Suno Television blurred images of former Prime Minister Imran Khan featured on a scarf worn by PTI leader Zartaj Gul during the talk show "Buraks," hosted by Rana Mubashir.
A JournalismPakistan.com investigation revealed that the recorded program typically aired at 7:03 pm, experienced a delay of about six minutes as managers at the Lahore headquarters decided on a course of action regarding the controversial images. The program was divided into two segments, with Zartaj Gul appearing in the first half and Saira Bano, a former member of the National Assembly, featuring in the second half.
Interestingly, no one in the studio noticed the images during the recording. It wasn't until the footage was sent to Lahore that the alarm was raised. After losing crucial prime-time minutes, the program finally aired with the images of Imran Khan blurred.
This incident underscores an unwritten ban on mentioning Imran Khan or showing his images, leading to absurd decisions by television channels to avoid repercussions.
In July of last year, ARY News similarly blurred Imran Khan’s image during his meeting with an International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative, rendering his face unrecognizable while leaving his feet visible. In another instance, during "The Pavilion" talk show on A Sports in October 2023, a question regarding former Prime Minister Imran Khan went unanswered. Fakhr-e-Alam, the program's host, read the question in English without naming Imran Khan, who famously captained Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning team. The show featured Wasim Akram, Moin Khan, Misbahul Haq, and Shoaib Malik.
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