Islamabad: Pakistan`s national media regulator has asked television and radio stations to avoid offending religious sentiments and `corrupting the nation`s youth` in their Valentine`s Day broadcasts.
The notification was more of a request than a stricter enforcement of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulator Authority (PEMRA) rules.
According to the Express Tribune, the watchdog`s circular said that it was acting on complaints that celebrating Valentines Day was not in line with `our religious and cultural ethos`.
The regulator`s letter said that `such events have been perceived as a source of depraving, corrupting and injuring the morality of Pakistani youth as well as violating Code of Conduct developed by PEMRA`.
While pointing towards PEMRA rules of 2009 on the subject, it added that `all satellite TV channels/FM stations are, therefore requested to honour viewer`s sentiments/opinion while conceptualizing any programme or celebrating any event connected to The Valentine`s Day`.
A PEMRA official told an international news agency that the regulator had not banned Valentine`s Day programme broadcast, but instead issued a request to channels in the wake of public complaints, the report added.
(ANI)
