Pakan television channel pulled up for airing Asha Bhosle tribute in ‘wilful defiance of Supreme Court judgment’ | Bollywood News
4 min readKochiApr 13, 2026 09:02 PM While India is yet to come to terms with Asha Bhosle’s passing, a controversy has erupted in neighbouring Pakan over a television channel airing a programme as a tribute to the legendary playback singer. The Pakan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has taken the media house, Geo News, to task for what it claims is the “wilful defiance of the judgment of the country’s Supreme Court.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Geo News’ managing director, Azhar Abbas, revealed that PEMRA has issued a show-cause notice to the channel for airing content related to Asha. Pointing out that it is customary to revisit and celebrate the work of iconic artes following their demise or while preparing reports about them, Abbas noted that he believes the channel should have shared even more of her “timeless and memorable songs” than it did, considering her stature.
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‘Art is a shared heritage of humanity’
“Yet, PEMRA has chosen to restrict this. Art, like knowledge, is a shared heritage of humanity, and it should not be confined borders. Asha Bhosle herself admired Pakan’s legendary singer Noor Jahan, whom she fondly called her ‘elder ser.’ She collaborated with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and brought to life the poetry of great Urdu poets like Nasir Kazmi,” Abbas pointed out.
The journal concluded his post mentioning that in times of war and conflict, “art and artes should not become casualties.” He added, “Intellectuals, musicians, and creators are often the very voices that stand against hatred and division, and the ones who bring people closer together.”
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What PEMRA said in its show-cause notice
Slamming Geo News for using Indian songs and visuals from Indian films while reporting on Asha Bhosle’s death, PEMRA reportedly called this a “wilful defiance [of] the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakan… wherein airing of Indian content was prohibited.”Story continues below this ad
For the unversed, the Pakan Supreme Court had reintroduced a ban on Indian films and television shows being broadcast on the country’s local channels in 2018. Although PEMRA imposed a ban on the airing of Indian content on local television and FM radio channels in 2016, the Lahore High Court lifted it in 2017. Subsequently, the Supreme Court reimposed the ban the following year.
What next for Geo News?
According to Hindustan Times, PEMRA has summoned Geo News’ CEO, Mir Ibrahim Rehman and demanded a written explanation from the channel within 14 days as to why legal action should not be initiated against it.
However, PEMRA’s actions have divided the internet, with some supporting them and others opposing them. Lauding the move, one netizen pointed out, “Since India blackled our media and stars, Geo’s obsession is baffling. Is profit more important than national pride? Azhar Abbas needs to tell his Indian counterparts that ‘art has no borders.’ Shame on Geo.”
However, many others slammed the regulatory authority. One person noted, “Art and culture have always crossed borders when politics couldn’t. Legendary artes like Asha Bhosle belong to the entire subcontinent, not just one side. Let creativity stay above conflict.”Story continues below this ad
About Asha Bhosle
One of the greatest Indian playback singers of all time, Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai on Sunday, April 12, due to multi-organ failure. She was admitted to the hospital on Saturday owing to extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. The younger ser of Bharat Ratna awardee Lata Mangeshkar, Asha recorded over 12,000 songs across various languages. She holds the Guinness World Record as the most recorded arte in music hory.
