The participants demanded restoration of Geo TV Network throughout the country immediately saying their popular channels particularly Geo News had been shut illegally by cable operators on the wish of some hidden hands. They said it was highly unfortunate that over a month and a half has been passed since Hamid Mir was attacked in Karachi but his attackers are still at large.

The protesters, carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of Jang/Geo and Hamid Mir, gathered at the Davis Road, outside Jang/Geo offices. The protesters said the media played a leading role in restoring democracy in the country, along with political parties and members of civil society. They said under any circumstances, nobody would be allowed to ban/suspend Jang/Geo.

Among the prominent participants were Jamaat-e-Islami parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly Dr Waseem, Awami National Party central secretary Ihsan Wayen, Pak-Australia Friendship President Arshad Naseem, senior journalists Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Maqsood Butt, Sadia Sharif, Ameen Hafeez, Jang Workers Union President Rukhsana Nazli, Fakhira Tehreem, Imdad Qureshi, Jang Workers Union General Secretary Waseem Babar, PFUJ Senior Vice-President Ijaz Mirza, Zahid Rafique Bhatti, Sabir Awan, Zahid Ali Khan, Ijaz Manzoor, Ijaz Mirza, Farooq Chohan, Naseer Baig, Azhar Maqbool, Sadia Aziz, Huma Mir Hassan, Naveed Aslam, Civil Society Pakistan President Abdullah Malik, Sohail Butt, Muneer Khokhar, Asim Naseer, Waheed Butt and Adnan Malik.

Dr Waseem said as the JI believed in democracy and freedom of media, its leaders were the first one who reached the hospital where Hamid Mir was undergoing his treatment after the attack. JI, he added, demanded of the law-enforcement and security agencies to arrest the culprits, who carried out the attack on Hamid Mir. He said unlawful suspension of Jang/Geo would not be acceptable and the government should take effective measures to restore the transmission of the Geo TV Network throughout the country immediately. He said the media should play its role in more responsible way keeping the Islamic teachings in focus as well. He also condemned burning of copies of Jang/The News by unknown persons, the other day.

Ihsan Wayen said if someone made a mistake it doesn’t mean he/she should be hanged or killed or it should be banned. He said the people are missing the transmission of Geo and Jang newspapers as they are liked by majority of the people across the country being the most favourite newspapers and channels.

He said the ANP demanded immediate restoration of Geo transmission and public access to Jang/The News newspapers throughout the country. On the occasion, Arshad Naseem said Jang/Geo issue should not be treated as Pak-India issue saying Geo is not only the voice of people living inside Pakistan but of those Pakistanis living abroad as well.

Ijaz Mirza said if writing and speaking truth was a crime in the country then the whole journalist community will be committing this crime in the future as well. He said those who demand a ban on Jang/Geo were the enemy of independent media in the country. He said the whole journalist community is standing with Jang/Geo at this crucial time and would not accept any ban on any channel or newspaper.

Abdullah Malik said conspiracies are being hatched to damage the independent media of the country but the civil society of Pakistan would not allow this to happen. He said independent media is the safeguard of democracy, fundamental rights and human rights. He said under any pretext, no one would be allowed to ban/suspend Geo, the most favourite channel of the country.

Muhammad Yasin said the apology which has been tendered by the management of Jang/Geo should be accepted and the matter should not be dragged any more.Asim Naseer, speaking on the occasion, thanked those cable operators who have restored Geo transmission in their respective areas, adding other operators should also follow suit.

Babar Waseem said those running malicious campaigns against Jang/Geo would eat dust at the end as workers of the largest media house would foil every move of the opponents. He said Jang is the most readable newspaper and Geo is most viewed channel of the country and would remain at the top due to their independent journalism and news contents.

The News

Talking to mediapersons at the Pakistan-China Friendship Centre after inaugurating the National Book Day organised by the National Book Foundation (NBF) here on Tuesday, he pointed out that a logical approach should be adopted on the attack on Hamid Mir while some circles were presenting a negative picture of the incident.

“The people, the government and parliament respect the national security institutions. We have a relation of faith with them,” the minister said.Every institution was playing its part according to the role written in the Constitution, he said. “There is no difference of opinion among the institutions on the national agenda,” he noted.

The information minister said that the prime minister personally met Hamid Mir at hospital in Karachi. “We have a relation of love with the media,” he commented. In reply to a question, the information minister said that deadlock was a part of the dialogue process and stated that talks with the TTP were moving ahead. He hoped that there would be progress in this regard soon.

The minister said the talks with the Taliban were started in consultation with all the political parties and all the matters were going in the right direction. “Today, the state of Pakistan and national institutions are standing with scholars and intellectuals. They are standing with those who speak the language of arguments and not of weapons,” he stated.

He said that dialogue and tolerance should be promoted and difference of opinion should be acceptable.The minister said that the government had demanded of the TTP to release the Islamia University’s vice chancellor.

Responding to a question regarding Musharraf’s visit to Karachi, the minister said the movement of any citizen from one city to another did not matter as the rule of law was supreme everywhere, including Karachi and Islamabad.

Earlier, speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the National Book Day, the minister said, “It will be a moment of happiness for Pakistan when a day comes when such book events are held in Waziristan and Fata, where schools and colleges were closed and extremist groups resorted to violence to achieve their goals.”The minister assured the government’s cooperation to the NBF in developing the reading habits among the people.

The News