Pakistan bans airing of contraception ads
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 29 May 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistan bans airing of contraception ads, 29 May 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5769017c24.html [accessed 22 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 29, 2016
Pakistan has banned broadcast advertisements for all contraceptives, including birth control and family planning products.
The national regulator, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), said on May 28 that there had been public complaints that the advertisements prompted curiosity in "innocent children."
"The general public is very much concerned about the exposure of such products to the innocent children, which get inquisitive on features and use of the products," PEMRA said in a statement.
Television channels and radio stations that do not comply with the ban will face "legal action under PEMRA laws," the statement said, although no specific punishment was mentioned.
The ban comes despite a government initiative to encourage birth control in Pakistan, a conservative Muslim country of 180 million people where discussing sex in public is taboo.
Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world, with a population growth rate of 1.92 percent, according to the government. Its population is projected to increase to more than 227 million by 2025.
Based on reporting by AFP and BBC
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
