Council | Pakistan

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has written to the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) seeking “guidance” on whether Geo News’ response to the recent suspension is adequate or requires further action, it emerged on Thursday. On June 28, Pemra suspended with “immediate effect” Geo News’ licence for 15 days over airing a special transmission that the body said was “liable to hurt the religious sentiments of viewers”. Geo News has acknowledged its mistake in airing the transmission broadcast on Muharram 10 and has also taken action against two employees. The letter, dated July 1, and addressed to the CII chairman, Pemra requested guidance on the matter, with Council of Complaints (CoC) Chairperson Lubna Zaheer stating, “The CII is requested to guide whether the suspension order already passed and the public apology as well as actions so far rendered by Geo News constitute an adequate response and if not, to what extent any further action may be warranted in light of Islamic teachings and...

• Verdict authored by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declares Council’s 2025 opinion against Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza ‘null and void’ • Judgement says advisory body overstepped its constitutional mandate under Articles 229 and 230 ISLAMABAD: In a landmark verdict, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has no legal authority to issue opinions on the criminal culpability of individuals. In a detailed order written prior to his transfer to the Lahore High Court, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declared the CII’s 2025 opinion, which labelled cleric-turned-YouTuber Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza a blasphemer, as “illegal, without lawful authority, and null and void”. The court held that the constitutional body had grossly overstepped its mandate by entertaining a reference from the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against him. The judgement stressed that under Articles 229 and 230 of the Constitution, the CII’s advisory jurisdiction is strictly limited to p...