Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker Sher Mohammed Gorchani expressed solidarity with the journalist community, condemned the action against Geo and warned that any action meant to curb the media freedom would eventually cause huge damage to democracy.

Speaking on the occasion, Rana Sanaullah said the Punjab government would ensure security for cable operators, but they were highly scared of some hidden forces and due to this fear, they were reluctant to continue the transmission of Geo. He said action against one TV channel would mean action against all. If the practice of threats from the cable operators to shut the transmission of any channel starts now, no other channel would be able to save itself from it in future. Sana said the media could only be regulated through laws and a code of conduct.

The law minister said journalists had exhibited remarkable unity in the struggle for free media and their present movement would also bring forth success. He also pledged complete support to the journalist community on the behalf of the PA in their struggle to protect the media freedom.

Condemning action against Geo TV, journalists from various media groups staged demonstrations in support of media freedom and showed unity in their ranks in a bid to safeguard the freedom of press.

“Ek pay Hamla, sub pay Hamla” (assault against one means assault against all) was the most chanted slogan by the journalists in the protest held outside the PA to condemn the suspension of licence of Geo TV and curbing of press freedom.

The protest was attended by Geo Lahore Bureau chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) President Rana Azim, Electronic Media Reporters Association (EMRA) President Asim Naseer, PUJ General Secretary Amir Sohail, former president of PA Press Gallery Babar Dogar, PUJ Joint Secretary Shahid Naeem, Electronic News Cameramen Association (ENCA) President Waheed Butt, INP Bureau Chief Rashid Sipra besides senior journalists including Syed Shoaib-ud-Din, Moeen Azhar, Ahmed Faraz, Adnan Malik and Shaheryar Warraich.

Speaking on the occasion, Khawar Hashmi said the journalist community was united when it came to the freedom of press. He said he firmly believed that what was being done against Geo at the moment was not against any one organisation but against the entire media freedom as not Geo but the media and the democratic government of Pakistan seemed the real target in the present scenario. He said if these forces succeeded in their designs, it would be a disaster for democracy and the press freedom. Not only this, he said the freedom our media had attained due to its long struggle, if snatched this time, would not be regained. He said all of us need to realise the gravity of the situation and must protect our freedom.

Moreover, Hashmi said action against Geo and Jang would mean the economic murder of around 9,000 workers and thousands of their family members whose bread and butter had been put at stake.

He said the entire community had a very important role to play as it had to foil any conspiracy against the freedom of the press and save thousands of people from their possible economic murder. He also stated all this had been done to divert the attention of people from the heinous targeting of senior journalist Hamir Mir.

About the allegations levelled against Geo regarding the morning show hosted by Shaista Wahidi, Hashmi said Ulema from different schools of thought had clearly stated that if something had been done unintentionally, the doors of forgiveness were open on the wrongdoers. But despite that, some elements were busy in issuing decrees against us just on the basis of a grudge against Geo.

Asim Naseer, in his address, warned that the entire country would have to suffer if the present crisis led to the economic murder of journalists. He said the journalist community had gathered outside the PA but if their targeting continued unabated, they would take to the streets to snatch their rights from the usurpers. He said the incumbent government should play its role in addressing the issue and save hundreds of thousands of people from their economic murder. The journalists also chanted slogans in support of ‘Journalist Unity.’

Meanwhile, EMRA, led by its President Asim Naseer, decided to set up a camp outside the Geo offices in connection with the movement meant to protect the media freedom.

The News

The journalists from all news channels and newspapers unanimously boycotted the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly to show solidarity with the Geo News and condemned the elements making efforts aimed at its closure. They gathered at the assembly compound and raised slogans in support of Geo and against the cable operators.

Deputy Speaker Sher Ali Gorchani sent a four-member delegation comprising Minister for Human Rights Tahir Khalil Sindhu, Minister for Prisons Mian Abdul Waheed, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Culture Rana Arshad and PPP’s Sardar Shahab-ud-Din to convince the protesting journalists to return to the press gallery. They joined the journalists in their protest and inquired about their demands.

The members were told that the journalists would not tolerate the attempts being made for shutting down the Geo News and demanded stern action against the cable operators suspending its transmission illegally.

Afterwards, Law Minister Rana Sana while speaking in the House clarified that the decision by the five private members of Pemra committee was their personal opinion and had no legal value. He promised that the provincial government would initiate strict action against the cable operators if they were suspending the Geo News transmission on the basis of an illegal decision.

He warned the cable operators that they did not have any right or authority to shut down or change the number of any channel unilaterally without seeking permission from the government. Any such step was to be considered illegal and action would be initiated against such cable operators, he added.

Sana stated the PML-N government had a clear stance that itbelieved in complete freedom of the media and was against shutting down TV channels which would cause unemployment among journalists. He stated that media freedom and continuity of democracy were interlinked and any effort to hamper the process would be countered.

Sana also strongly condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded the Sindh government to immediately arrest the elements involved in the incident.Earlier, Sana told the media that the three Pemra members tried to do mischief but the official spokesman had expressed his disassociation from the move.

He added that the regulatory body had a total of 12 members, including five nominated by the government, who did not have any individual capacity and they could neither convene a meeting nor make any unilateral decision. He said action would also be initiated against them, if they had violated the Pemra rules.

He also criticised news anchors and TV channels which were creating anarchy by fanning intolerance.Sana also blasted Imran Khan for hatching conspiracies totrigger a clash among the institutions. He alleged that Imran was dancing on the tunes of foreign hands, which did not want stability in Pakistan.

He also said the PTI changed its policy with each passing day. Two days back, it wanted to show solidarity with Hamid Mir and forwarded a resolution in his favour to the assembly secretariat, but changed the policy afterwards and deliberately avoided it though it was on the agenda.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly discussed the health department affairs during the Question-Answer session. It also passed ‘The Punjab Public Private Partnership Bill 2014’ amidst strong uproar and protest from the opposition demanding development funds for their constituencies.

The News

The RTI Act was passed with a majority on December 13 2013, and the government signed it on December 16 2013.

Clause 5 of the Act states that a Public Information Commission (PIC) should be constituted. The PIC will frame rules and regulations in consultation with the Punjab government, and then make recommendations for the training of designated PIOs.

The government has appointed two information commissioners and the chief information commissioner on March 5. Justice (r) Mazhar Hussain Minhas was appointed as chief information commissioner, and Additional IG (r) Ahmed Raza Tahir and Mukhtar Ahmed, an NGO director, were appointed as information commissioners.

Tahir and Minhas joined the Punjab Information Department last week but have not been provided with offices, staff, or a budget. They said they had been asked to wait for further directions.

Mukhtar Ahmed said that the non serious attitude of the bureaucrats concerned had led to his delay in joining the department.

He told The Express Tribune that he would join immediately if he received indication that concrete work was to begin. He also said that he was working on another project at present.

Two months ago Punjab Information Secretary Momin Agha had told The Express Tribune that he could not disclose the names of designated officers at public bodies. Information Department Deputy Secretary Asad Ali Khan who looks after matters pertaining to the RTI told The Express Tribune last month that the government had designated 400 PIOs so far across the province but refused to disclose their names.

Clause 7 of the RTI Act only requires PIOs to be appointed in public bodies. However, it does not say what is to be done if a public body does not nominate a PIO.

Agha did not provide a comment on why PIOs had not been notified, and why the department concerned had not provided the information commissioners with offices, staff or a budget. Khan did not attend the phone.

Parliamentary Secretary for Information Rana Muhammad Arshad told The Express Tribune that it was the government’s objective to remove obstacles to public access to information.

He said that transparency was the motto of the government, which was why the assembly had passed the RTI. He said it was being obstructed at the bureaucratic end. He added that he would seek a report from the secretary concerned and inform Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in order to immediately implement the Act.

Express Tribune