Islamabad, The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has taken a firm stance against violations of its Code of Conduct by instructing the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to issue warnings to GEO News and ARY News. These channels have been identified for airing political content in defiance of the ECP’s directives, especially during the period when there is a complete ban on election campaigning and related advertisements across media platforms.

According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, despite explicit instructions from the ECP to adhere to the Code of Conduct designed for the national media during the election period, these channels proceeded to broadcast live statements and interviews of political leaders. The ECP’s communication to PEMRA highlighted the necessity of taking decisive actions against such violations, which could include the extreme measure of shutting down the transmissions of the offending channels if non-compliance persists.

This enforcement action comes in the wake of a comprehensive ban on election campaign activities, advertisements, and the distribution of election-related materials on both electronic and print media as mandated by Section 182 of the Elections Act 2017 and further detailed in the ECP’s Code of Conduct. Despite these clear guidelines, certain channels have continued to breach the imposed restrictions, prompting the ECP to exercise its authority under Section 10 of the Elections Act 2017 to ensure compliance and preserve the integrity of the electoral process.

The move underscores the ECP’s commitment to a fair and orderly conduct of elections, emphasizing the importance of media adherence to established guidelines and regulations during the critical election period.