Peace TV

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An international Islamic religious satellite television network based in Dubai.

Last updated October 22, 2026

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Overview

Peace TV is an Islamic religious television network based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded on 21 January 2006 by Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, the network presents religious lectures, debates, question-and-answer programmes and other faith-oriented programming. Its stated editorial concept has been described by Naik as “edutainment,” combining religious instruction with television formats intended for a broad audience. The service has broadcast internationally through satellite distribution and has also been made available through online and digital platforms. The network began satellite transmission on Arabsat’s BADR-3 satellite in October 2006. One of its early broadcasts was a live debate by Naik on the concept of God. Peace TV later developed language services aimed at different audiences. Peace TV English became the first religious satellite channel identified in the supplied reference material as broadcasting in high definition, in June 2009. Peace TV Urdu was launched in Pakistan during the same month, and Peace TV Albanian began broadcasting from Pristina, Kosovo, in August 2009. Peace TV Bangla launched on 22 April 2011 for Bengali-speaking viewers, while Peace TV Chinese began broadcasting Islamic programming in China in October 2015. The network has presented itself as a free-to-air international broadcaster and has been distributed through satellite providers, including LiveStation. Reference material describes it as having reached as many as 200 million viewers, although the methodology and date for that audience figure are not specified. Its programming has featured Zakir Naik and a number of other Islamic speakers, including Yusuf Estes, Bilal Philips, Jamal Badawi, Abdur Raheem Green, Hussein Ye, Israr Ahmed and Assim Al-Hakeem. The Islamic Research Foundation International is reported to have donated £1.25 million to the station in 2009; the supplied material does not establish the network’s complete ownership or financing structure. Peace TV has faced substantial regulatory and political opposition. India prohibited the channel after concerns about its content and its failure to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Bangladesh blocked the service in July 2016 after the Dhaka terrorist attack and a public debate about whether speeches associated with Naik had influenced an attacker. Sri Lankan cable operators were instructed to remove the channel following the Easter Sunday attacks in April 2019, as part of an inquiry into Islamic extremism. The network has argued that its statements were repeatedly taken out of context. In the United Kingdom, Ofcom investigated Peace TV after complaints concerning alleged hate speech. In 2012, the regulator found that comments broadcast on the programme Dare to Ask breached broadcasting rules concerning offensive material and contextual justification. In 2019, Ofcom found that three programmes breached rules relating to hate speech, offence, abusive treatment and incitement to crime. Lord Production, identified in the reference material as the holder of the relevant broadcast licence, disputed the findings and described the programme content as a religiously grounded opposition to homosexuality rather than an incitement to violence. Peace TV subsequently withdrew from the UK market in 2020 after a reported £300,000 fine for inciting murder. The available material does not clarify the network’s current distribution footprint, corporate ownership, or whether all language services remain active.

History

Peace TV was established on 21 January 2006 by Zakir Naik as an international Islamic television service. The network’s stated purpose was to provide religious education and discussion through satellite broadcasting, with Naik describing the format as “edutainment.” An early notable transmission was Naik’s live debate on the concept of God. The service expanded its reach when it began broadcasting through Arabsat’s BADR-3 satellite in October 2006. The channel developed a multilingual strategy during the following decade. Peace TV English introduced high-definition broadcasting in June 2009, while Peace TV Urdu was launched in Pakistan in the same month. Peace TV Albanian began broadcasting from Pristina, Kosovo, on 20 August 2009 and was described in the reference material as Europe’s first Peace TV channel. The Islamic Research Foundation International donated £1.25 million to the station in 2009. Peace TV Bangla was introduced on 22 April 2011 for Bengali-speaking viewers, and Peace TV Chinese began Islamic broadcasts in China in October 2015. The network was also distributed through satellite and internet services, including LiveStation, and its application remained available in some countries where conventional broadcasting had been prohibited. Peace TV’s programming has included sermons, religious lectures, debates, call-in or question-and-answer formats and family-oriented discussions. Its presenters and contributors have included Zakir Naik, Yusuf Estes, Bilal Philips, Jamal Badawi, Abdur Raheem Green, Hussein Ye, Israr Ahmed and Assim Al-Hakeem. The network has claimed a global audience, with the supplied reference material reporting reach of up to 200 million viewers, though no supporting measurement methodology is provided. Regulatory scrutiny became a defining part of the network’s later history. In the United Kingdom, Ofcom investigated Peace TV in 2011 after receiving reports that it carried hate speech. In 2012, the regulator determined that statements broadcast during Dare to Ask concerning apostasy and capital punishment were offensive and insufficiently justified by their context. Peace TV responded that the programme was presenting religious teachings and argued that its statements had been taken out of context. The channel also encountered restrictions in South Asia. It had been available in India since 2006 but did not complete the registration required by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 2009. The channel was subsequently prohibited in India in 2012 amid government concerns about allegedly malicious anti-Indian content. Naik denied owning the station and said it was operated by a Dubai-based company. In Bangladesh, controversy intensified after the July 2016 Dhaka terrorist attack, when reports examined an attacker’s exposure to Naik’s speeches and social-media material. The Bangladeshi government blocked Peace TV on 10 July 2016. Sri Lankan cable operators were told to remove the channel after the April 2019 Easter attacks while authorities investigated extremist networks. Further UK action followed broadcasts concerning homosexuality. In March 2018, a programme included highly derogatory comments by presenter Imam Qasim Khan. Ofcom ruled in July 2019 that three programmes breached rules concerning hate speech, offence, abusive treatment and incitement to crime. Lord Production, identified as the relevant licence holder, defended the material as religious criticism rather than a call for violence. Peace TV ultimately withdrew from the UK in 2020 after a reported £300,000 fine. The reference material does not establish the current legal structure, ownership, full distribution network or operating status of each language service.

2020
UK withdrawal
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
Peace TV withdrew from the UK after a reported £300,000 regulatory fine.
2019
Ofcom issues further findings
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
Ofcom found three programmes in breach of UK rules on hate speech, offence, abusive treatment and incitement to crime.
2016
Bangladesh blocks Peace TV
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
The Bangladeshi government blocked the channel following security concerns after the Dhaka terrorist attack.
2015
Peace TV Chinese launches
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
A Chinese-language service began broadcasting Islamic programming in China in October.
2012
India bans the channel
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
India prohibited Peace TV after registration and content-related concerns.
2011
Peace TV Bangla launches
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
The Bangla-language service launched on 22 April for Bengali-speaking audiences.
2009
HD English service and Urdu expansion
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
Peace TV English began broadcasting in high definition, and Peace TV Urdu launched in Pakistan.
2009
Peace TV Albanian launches
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
Peace TV Albanian began broadcasting from Pristina, Kosovo, on 20 August.
2006
Peace TV founded
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
Zakir Naik founded Peace TV on 21 January 2006 as an international Islamic television network.
2006
Satellite broadcasting begins
[1]Peace TVen.wikipedia.org
The network launched on Arabsat’s BADR-3 satellite in October 2006.

Products and positioning

International Islamic religious television network positioned around accessible religious education, preaching, debate and discussion programming.

Television channel · 2006
Peace TV English
The network’s English-language flagship service, carrying Islamic lectures, debates, religious discussions and question-and-answer programming for an international audience. It introduced high-definition broadcasting in June 2009.
Television channel · 2009
Peace TV Urdu
An Urdu-language service launched in Pakistan to reach Urdu-speaking viewers with Islamic preaching, educational broadcasts and discussion programmes.
Television channel · 2011
Peace TV Bangla
A Bangla-language service launched for Bengali-speaking audiences. Its distribution became especially controversial in Bangladesh, where authorities blocked the channel in 2016.
Television channel · 2009
Peace TV Albanian
An Albanian-language channel launched from Pristina, Kosovo, and described in the reference material as the first Peace TV service aimed at a European language market.
Television channel · 2015
Peace TV Chinese
A Chinese-language Islamic programming service that began broadcasting in China in October 2015.

Controversies

2020
Ofcom fines Peace TV license holders over broadcasts
Ofcom found that four programmes on Peace TV and Peace TV Urdu breached broadcasting rules on incitement to commit crime, hate speech, abuse and offence. Lord Productions Limited, which held the Peace TV licence, was fined £100,000, and Club TV, which held the Peace TV Urdu licence, was fined £200,000.
Source
2019
Ofcom findings on broadcasts about homosexuality
Ofcom ruled that three programmes, including a broadcast featuring Imam Qasim Khan’s comments about homosexuality, breached rules on hate speech, offence, abusive treatment and incitement to crime.
Source
2016
Bangladesh ban after Dhaka attack controversy
Peace TV was blocked in Bangladesh after public and official concern that speeches by Zakir Naik had influenced a person involved in the Dhaka terrorist attack.
Source
2012
Ofcom ruling over apostasy and capital-punishment comments
Ofcom found that comments broadcast on Dare to Ask about the treatment of apostates breached UK broadcasting rules because the offensive material was not adequately justified by context.
Source

2020
Withdrawal from the UKStrategy
Background
The UK regulator imposed further findings and a reported fine over programme content considered to incite murder.
Action taken
Peace TV withdrew from the UK market.
Aftermath
The withdrawal ended the channel’s UK distribution, while its wider international operating status is not established by the supplied sources.
Reported regulatory fine. £300,000 (2020)
Source
2016
Continuation of digital distribution after broadcast restrictionsStrategy
Background
Peace TV faced bans and removals from conventional broadcasting systems in several countries.
Action taken
The network continued making its application and online access available in some countries where its television transmission had been prohibited.
Aftermath
The reference material reports that the application remained available in banned countries, including India, and had exceeded 100,000 Google Play downloads by August 2019.
Source
2009
Launch of Urdu and HD servicesProduct launch
Background
The network was expanding beyond its original English-language satellite service and seeking wider regional and international reach.
Action taken
Peace TV launched its Urdu service in Pakistan and introduced high-definition broadcasting on Peace TV English.
Aftermath
The moves broadened the network’s language coverage and technical presentation, although later distribution of several services became subject to regulatory restrictions.
Source

Recent events

Unconfirmed
Ofcom fines Peace TV license holders over broadcasts[2]Ofcom fines Peace TV license holders over broadcaststhenationalnews.com
Reported: 2020-05-16
Ofcom found that four programmes on Peace TV and Peace TV Urdu breached broadcasting rules on incitement to commit crime, hate speech, abuse and offence. Lord Productions Limited, which held the Peace TV licence, was fined £100,000, and Club TV, which held the Peace TV Urdu licence, was fined £200,000.
2019-11
Peace TV stations surrender UK licences[2]Ofcom fines Peace TV license holders over broadcaststhenationalnews.com
Reported: 2020-05-16
Peace TV and Peace TV Urdu voluntarily surrendered their UK broadcasting licences in November 2019.

Sources10 sources

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