Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regularity Authority has suspended the licence of the country’s largest and most influential TV station for 15 days.
Since April, the Geo TV channel has been embroiled in a defamation row with the powerful ISI intelligence agency.
The ISI says the channel has unfairly linked the agency to an attack on a Geo talk show host in Karachi.
But officials from Geo, Pakistan’s most watched news channel, have described the licence suspension as unfair.
Correspondents say that the allegations against the intelligence agency are unusual because few dare upset the ISI – long regarded as one of the most powerful institutions in the country.
In a statement, the Pakistani Electronic Media Regularity Authority (Pemra) said that they had made the decision following a complaint against Geo TV filed by the defence ministry.
Pemra said it “took a strong notice of violations committed” by the channel and “unanimously decided” immediately to suspend its licence in addition to imposing a 10m Pakistani rupees ($100,000) fine.
It added that if the fine was not paid before the end of the suspension period, the channel would remain off air.
The regulators also warned that if there were more violations, “proceedings for the revocation of [Geo’s] licence shall be initiated”.
Geo argues that it has already publicly apologised to the ISI for its coverage in the aftermath of the shooting of Hamid Mir, one of Pakistan’s best known TV presenters.
He was hit six times in the abdomen and legs after his car was fired on by men on motorbikes as he was leaving Karachi airport.
It remains unclear who fired the shots and no group has said it carried out the attack.
Pakistan is one of the word’s most dangerous countries for journalists.
In May, a group of Pemra board members had tried to suspend Geo TV’s licence on the same issue, but that decision was quickly “disowned” by the regulatory body.
