Talk show at Q with Ahmed Quraishi suspended for allegedly calling Sheikh Nimr a terrorist
Lahore, Pakistan: The talk show “At Q With Ahmed Quraishi” at Express News has been suspended for indefinite period for allegedly calling Sheikh Nimr Al Nimr a terrorist and allegedly fanning sectarianism in the country.
According to details, a TV anchor Ahmed Quraishi in his show “At Q With Ahmed Quraishi” allegedly criticized deceased Shia cleric Sheikh Nimar who had been beheaded by Saudi Arabia.
Sheikh Nimr Al Nimr was a respected personality among Shia cadre of the world and an outcry came from Shia community within Pakistan against the show conducted by Ahmed Quraishi because anchor called deceased Sheikh Nimr Al Nimr a terrorist.
Shia community claims that Ahmed Quraishi works for Saudi Arabian lobby and has been fanning hate against Shias in country while civil society claims that Ahmed Quraishi is fanning sectarianism in Pakistan.
Ahmed Quraishi believes that he was not working for any lobby and was not fanning sectarianism in the country and he is an expert in Middle East politics and he has been misunderstood by his viewers. However management of Express News did not accept his viewpoint and has suspended his show for indefinite period.
Sources claim that certain power groups in Pakistan have become activate to restart show of Ahmed Quraishi or to adjust him in some other top television channel.
Insiders in Express News claim that Ahmed Quraishi was very close to top management of the channel therefore his show was allowed to go on-air without going through in-house censor and preview. Insiders also claim that Ahmed Quraishi used to finish recording of his show just 15 to 20 minute before broadcast schedule and top management was informed about this situation by the production team but no action was taken by the management to ensure in-house censor process and internal preview before sending show on-air.
Sources claim that the show has not been deleted from Fixed Point Chart (FPC) of next month February 2016.
It may be mentioned that the suspension of the show was result of notice from regularity authority of electronic media — PEMRA and outcry of Shia community as well as civil society against anchor.
