Analysts say Pakistan fined and suspended TV network due to criticism of the government

Analysts say Pakistan fined and suspended TV network due to criticism of the government
(Image credit: Facebook.com/ARYNews)

The license of a Pakistani broadcast network critical of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was suspended by the government on Monday, angering several rights organizations and journalists in the country.

The 15-day suspension of ARY News started immediately, The New York Times reports, and the network also must pay a fine of 10 million rupees, or roughly $97,000. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority said in a statement that ARY News disparaged the court system and senior judges on the talk show Khara Sach, but analysts believe the suspension is due to the show's host, Mubashar Lucman, criticizing Sharif and his government.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.