Updated

Pakistan's media regulation authority says it has taken an anti-government TV news channel off air for 15 days for "maligning" the country's judiciary.

Tuesday's statement by the Pakistan Media Regulation Authority says the private ARY News channel was shut following a court order.

PEMRA also says the court banned one of the broadcaster's anchors, Mubashar Luqman, from appearing on any national TV.

ARY was also ordered to pay a fine of 10 million Pakistani Rupees, or $97,000.

The court acted on its own in taking up the case and issued its ruling last week.

But the ban is apparently linked to the infighting among Pakistan's numerous media outlets over their view and coverage of the two-month-long anti-government protests demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif step down over alleged election fraud.