Why was Asha Bhosle's coverage stopped in Pakistan?
The demise of Asha Bhosle at the age of 92 has left the world in deep shock and sorrow. The veteran singer breathed her last in Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital on April 12. The veteran singer was popular for her timeless voice and incredible contribution to music. Fans from the world have been sharing tributes on social media to celebrate her timeless legacy. As the industry mourns, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has sent out a notice to the Pakistani news channel, Geo News, over coverage of her demise.
Managing Director of the news channel, Azhar Abbas, took to X (Twitter) to share the news. He tweeted, "PEMRA has issued a show-cause notice to Geo News for airing content related to the legendary subcontinent singer Asha Bhosle. 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. Yet, Pakistan’s electronic media regulator, Pemra, has chosen to restrict this."
PEMRA has issued a show-cause notice to Geo News for airing content related to the legendary subcontinent singer Asha Bhosle.
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,… pic.twitter.com/AuhFPyGZCL— Azhar Abbas (@AzharAbbas3) April 13, 2026
In his tweet, he also mentioned that art is a shared heritage of humanity and no border can confine or limit it. Abbas posted that Asha Bhosle often lauded Pakistani singer Noor Jahan and also referred to her as 'elder sister'. He also remembered that Asha Bhosle had collaborated with Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as well.
"In times of war and conflict, art and artists should not become casualties. Intellectuals, musicians, and creators are often the very voices that stand against hatred and division, and the ones who bring people closer together," Abbas posted.
Pakistani journalist Rauf Klasra was quick to react to Abbas' tweet. He questioned how PEMRA could send out a notice for putting out content about the veteran singer. He wrote, "She has entertained many generations of sub continent with her melodious voice. She deserves respect (sic)."
Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge had released in theatres on March 19. Since its release, the film continues to do well at Box Office. The film has also emerged as the biggest Hindi opener of all time. It earned Rs 102.5 crore in India.
It also became the second biggest Indian opener after Allu Arjun’s Pushpa The Rule. But the film was banned in Pakistan. However, that didn't stop fans from watching it. They bought pirated versions to watch the film. Pakistani journalist Khalid Mehmood Khalid too had shared a video of watching the film on X. In the post, he said: “Watching Dhurandhar 2 in Lahore.”
