Closure of Geo TV – Pakistan Freedom of Expression Monitor

Protest against closure of Geo TV continues

Web Desk — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 09:33:49 +0000

PESHAWAR: The protest camp set up against the closure of the Geo TV channel continued on the 12th consecutive day Wednesday.

Journalists and people from other walks of life visited the camp to express solidarity with the Jang Media Group. The participants chanted slogans in favour of Geo and the Jang Group and condemned the unilateral decision of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) without even hearing the viewpoint of the largest media group of the country.

They demanded lifting of the ban on Geo TV and an end to the attacks on the vehicles carrying copies of the dailies The News and Jang. Besides others, Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) President Nisar Mehmood, Shamim Shahid, Arshad Aziz Malik, Bureau Chief of Online News Agency, Imtiaz Hussain, Mehmood Jan Babar attended the camp.

The speakers on the occasion termed as unjust the Pemra decision to suspend Geo TV for 15 days and fine it Rs10 million. They said the Jang Media Group workers and editors were being harassed and intimidated and the copies of The News and Jang were being burnt.

They said that the Geo TV was, in fact, already taken off air for 45 days through the use of force and threats. They said the Jang Media Group had suffered huge financial losses, but it had refused to bow to any undue pressure and threats as it believed in the freedom of the media.

The journalists and newspapers employees at the protest camp pledged to continue the campaign until Geo TV was allowed to operate freely and the newspapers of the Jang Group were allowed to be distributed all over Pakistan.

The News

Protest against Geo closure continues on 10th day

Web Desk — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 14:20:59 +0000

PESHAWAR: The protest camp set up against closure of the Geo TV channel continued for the 10th consecutive day on Monday. A large number of journalists from print and electronic media, members of the civil society, representatives visited the camp that was arranged by the Khyber Union of Journalists.

The participants of the camp chanted slogans against the discriminatory decision of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) that suspended the transmission of the most popular TV channel of the country for 15 days.

Arshad Aziz Malik, Mahmood Jan Babar, Sharif Mohmand, Munir Khan Afridi, Imdad Ali Qizalbash, Khalid Kheshgi, Shahzad Anjum, Muhammad Nauman, Shiba Haider, Musawir, Haris Khan, and Peshawar High Court Bar General Secretary Ayaz Khan were among the participants.

Speaking on the occasion, the participants flayed the curbs on the media. They were critical of the government and quarters concerned for their failure to nab those who attacked senior journalists Hamid Mir, Zafar Aheer.

They said the accused, who torched Jang vehicles and thousands of copies of The News and Daily Jang, could not be rounded up yet. They made it clear that their strike would continue for 15 days. They said they would start a countrywide protest campaign on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists if the curbs were not lifted against the group.

The News

Protest camp against Geo closure enters ninth day

Web Desk — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 07:53:33 +0000

PESHAWAR: The journalists community continued protest camp against closure of Geo TV channel on the nineth consecutive day on Sunday and demanded the government to lift the curbs on the largest media group of the country.

A large number of journalists from print and electronic media, members of the civil society, political leaders and trade union representatives visited the camp that was arranged by the Khyber Union of Journalists.

Senior journalist and President Khyber Union of Journalists Nisar Mehmood, Senior Sub Editor The News Umar Ali, Mahmood Jan Babar, Daily Jang staffer Shah ji and others were among the participants.

The speakers on the occasion rejected the curbs on the media. They ridiculed the government and other quarters concerned for their failure to apprehend those who had attacked senior journalists Hamid Mir, Zafar Aheer and torched Jang vehicles and thousands of copies of The News and Daily Jang, while they were quick in taking action against Jang Media Group for lodging complaints. They vowed to continue the token strike for the 15 days. They said if the curbs were not lifted against the organisation, they would start a countrywide protest campaign on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

The News

Jang, Geo aren’t traitors: SCBA president

Web Desk — Tue, 06 May 2014 10:37:21 +0000

KARACHI: President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Kamran Murtaza has said that neither Jang and Geo nor any person of its administration is a traitor. He said that the SCBA respected all the national institutions.Talking to The News, he said that the present situation was not in the interest of the country as it had created stir. He asked the government to play its role in ending this crisis in |the best interest of the country. Murtaza said that the ban on Jang and Geo was not acceptable in any way. He said that the relevant parties would have to end this tension immediately in greater national interest by realising their respective responsibilities.

The News