Government Bans Live Coverage of Military Actions, Cites National Security

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued crucial directives to media organizations, prohibiting live telecasts related to military operations and the movement of security forces. In a statement released on Saturday, the Ministry clarified that the decision was taken in view of national security considerations.

The directive urged all stakeholders—including television channels, news agencies, digital platforms, and social media users—to act with utmost responsibility while reporting on matters related to defence and security. It emphasized that all current laws and regulations must be strictly followed.

The Ministry specifically instructed that live visuals of ongoing military actions, live reporting from sensitive locations, or disclosure of information under labels such as “source-based inputs” should not be carried out. It expressed concern that revealing details about such sensitive operations in advance could provide critical information to enemy entities, potentially compromising the effectiveness of operations and endangering the lives of security personnel.

The Ministry cited previous instances—such as the Kargil War, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and the Kandahar plane hijack—as examples where media coverage had adversely affected national interests.

It reiterated that Rule 6(1)(p) of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 prohibits live telecasts of counter-terrorism operations conducted by security forces. It stated that until an operation is completed, only information released by an officer designated by the government should be broadcast. The Ministry warned that strict legal action would be taken against those who violate these rules.