ICC Note:

According to Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, 11 Christian television stations are now illegal. These Christian stations were broadcasting Christian messages in the Urdu language, some for as long as the past 17 years. Many Christian leaders in Pakistan find this recent declaration to be discriminatory and are asking the government to justify their decision. Will Pakistan restrict the religious freedom of Christians by blocking these channels? 

10/13/2016 Pakistan (Christian Today) – Eleven Christian television stations in Pakistan have been declared illegal in the latest crackdown on Christians in the predominantly Muslim nation.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, a government body, has shut down Christian stations broadcasting in Urdu in an order issued at the end of September.

Ten of the channels are Protestant Christian television stations, and include Isaac TV, Gawahi TV, God Bless TV, Barkat TV, Praise TV, Zindagi TV, Shine TV, Jesus TV, Healing TV and Khushkhabari TV. They had been allowed to broadcast for 17 years.

The authorities have also banned Catholic TV, the diocesan channel in Lahore. “All the Regional Directors General are invited to take the necessary steps to immediately stop the illegal transmission of TV channels in their respective regions,” the legal order stipulates.

Father Mushtaq Anjum, a Pakistan monk and priest who specializes in communications and the media, told Agenzia Fides: “The proclamation of the Good News is considered illegal.

“For some years now, with great efforts, Christian communities have organized television networks, cable or web, to talk to Christians and to speak of the Christian faith. Christians have no place in public television channels. We want to understand why they are called illegal. This is another discriminatory law that affects non-Muslims.”

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