Pakistan's Media Body Issues Notice To Geo News Over Coverage Of Asha Bhosle's Death

Last Updated:April 13, 2026, 17:34 IST

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a notice to Geo News over coverage of Asha Bhosle's death.

Veteran playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92, and her fans across the world are mourning her demise. However, Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a notice to one of the country’s top news channels, Geo News, over coverage of her death.

The PEMRA notice issued on Sunday highlighted Geo News’ broadcast of Indian songs and visuals from Indian films while airing news of Bhosle’s death in “wilful defiance [of] the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of Pakistan… wherein airing of Indian content was prohibited", according to Dawn.

Azhar Abbas, Managing Director of Geo News Urdu, took to X to share the news. “It has always been customary to revisit and celebrate the work of iconic artists when reporting on them. In fact, for an artist of Asha Bhosle’s stature, we should have shared even more of her timeless and memorable songs than we did," he said.

“Yet, Pakistan’s electronic media regulator, Pemra, has chosen to restrict this. Art, like knowledge, is a shared heritage of humanity and it should not be confined by borders. Asha Bhosle herself admired Pakistan’s legendary singer Noor Jahan, whom she fondly called her ‘elder sister’," Abbas further remarked.

He also recalled Bhosle’s collaboration with celebrated Pakistani artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He also emphasised that art and artists should not become casualties in times of war and conflict.

“Intellectuals, musicians, and creators are often the very voices that stand against hatred and division, and the ones who bring people closer together," he said.

Pakistani journalist Rauf Klasra reacted to Abbas’s tweet and questioned how PEMRA could issue a notice for showcasing content about the veteran singer. He wrote, “She has entertained many generations of the subcontinent with her melodious voice. She deserves respect."

Bhosle, the legendary Indian singer, died on Sunday at the age of 92. One of the most recognisable voices to come out of the Subcontinent, Bhosle was admired by people in both India and Pakistan, with several Pakistani celebrities taking to social media since Sunday to pay tribute to her.

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