Also, he added, the army and the government stand united over the issue of national interests.

Talking to the media here on Saturday, the minister said the cable operators were not authorised to ban any TV channel and warned that strict action would be taken against those who violated the law and banned channels.

Pervaiz Rashid said the Pakistan Army is standing by the government to improve ties with India. He said it was not the army but an individual Pervez Musharraf who took the decision on Kargil and then had to go down on his knees before the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He said the army as an institution had never intervened to sabotage Pakistan-India relations and stated he was hopeful it would not be done in future.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said we as a nation should look forward and put behind the past bitterness with India, adding that Narendra Modi had been elected by the Indian people and we respect their decision.

About the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s protest call against rigging in the last general elections, he said bringing some people on the streets did not mean a protest. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan had already rejected Imran’s objections of rigging in Sargodha.

He said the government would hold a dialogue with those who wanted peace and the elements disturbing peace would be dealt with strictly.

APP adds: Pervaiz Rashid said talks with the Taliban had not ended yet, adding that few people did not want talks.

He said Pakistan could not ignore changes in its neighbourhood as it would have to deal with the new government of India, adding the elected people would formulate foreign policies for the next five years.

The minister said: “Pakistan is responsible for its deeds and India for its own and we should keep our deeds correct.”

The minister said it was unfortunate that big media houses had given ‘scissors’ in the hands of cable operators, adding cable operators could not be allowed to violate the law. “It is good news that cable operators are reverting,” he added.

The minister said Pemra had initiated action and hoped that cable operators would do their own job and let the authorities do theirs.

“People want a completion of the journey to success and prosperity and they have brought Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the government for it,” he added. He said no one could derail the government as such attempts remained unsuccessful in the past by some people, adding, statements of PTI Chairman Imran Khan should be ignored. “How could he criticise us when he was unable to run the KP government properly?” he added.

To a question about the transfer of the CCPO Karachi, he said Shahid Hayat was a good officer who had maintained law and order in the city and Sindh ministers had appreciated his role and it would have been better if he had remained the CCPO.

The News

He also asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step in immediately to defuse the situation by using his influence over both the media group and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Talking to The News on Thursday, Ashrafi, who is also a member of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), said, “Things have got too complicated due to a delay in the pacification process, which is not good for the country. Hence, one would advise the government not to allow the issue to further flare up, putting the lives and jobs of employees of the largest media group in danger.”

He asked those protesting against the Geo group to keep their sentiments in control and refrain from harassing the employees of Geo/Jang Group as they belonged to the working class and had no part in decision making of the owners.

“Admittedly, it is a difficult situation for the government as on the one side is the ISI and the army while on the other side it was a vibrant media and it cannot offend anyone of them”.He blamed Pemra for failing to regulate the electronic media in accordance with law, which had brought the issue to the current level.

“This issue was also discussed in the two-day CII meeting as the members strongly condemned the regulatory authority in not taking timely action to defuse the situation,” said Allama Ashrafi.

He said it was unfortunate that the issue of screening a blasphemous/objectionable material was being given sectarian touch instead of resolving it on the basis of relevant rules, adding that if the concerned channel(s) had sought an apology, it should be pardoned. “What the Geo did by displaying the DG ISI’s image on television screen was not permissible but the matter should have been resolved by the authorities concerned there and then in accordance with the law and Pemra rules,” Allama Ashrafi said.

He admitted that the CII could not make any recommendations with regard to the blasphemous material screened by certain channels due to different points of view of different members as some even wanted to skip it.

He said so much so that the report on electronic media activities and Pemra’s legal view were also presented to the CII, which too were not deliberated on the instance of some members.Meanwhile, the CII in its two-day meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday avoided taking up the controversial Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) although it was on its agenda, inside sources claimed adding that the issue was postponed deliberately.

A source privy to the meeting claimed that the CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani, who is also a senior Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader, wanted to discuss it but as his party was in talks over contentious issues with the government, including the PPO, the issue was not brought on the agenda.

Similarly, on the issue of blasphemous material screened by certain private television channels on which countrywide protests were going on, the CII members were divided and as such no decision was taken.

The News

He said the media-related issue would be resolved amicably soon as in the given situation, the issue was not of Geo but of the freedom of expression in a democratic society.

He stated this in an informal chat with media persons after he visited, along with members of the family, the residence of senior journalist Hamid Mir to inquire after him.

The minister recalled how he had resisted when the Supreme Court registrar had pushed for the banning of another TV channel and he had the same policy now that no television channel should go off the air.

About the speculation of the ban on Geo channels, the minister said, “The issue is not of Geo, it is about the freedom of expression in a democratic society and we have bigger issues in our country and all have to find a solution together.”

In this context, he referred to the challenges of terrorism, issues of economy, energy crisis and education and health of children. With regard to the situation arising from the Geo issue, the minister urged the media to bring an end to the infighting.

He confirmed having met representatives of different media organisations, including APNS, CPNE and PBA and his meetings with heads of media groups: Hameed Haroon, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Mian Amir, Zuberi and Mujeebur Rehman Shami.

Asked for his views on the law ministry’s opinion on the issue, he said his ministry had sent its views on the matter to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra).

“Pemra is an independent institution and let it decide about the issue in its meeting. Neither I nor anyone else should try to dictate it,” the minister maintained.Earlier, the minister, along with his spouse and children, met the bedridden journalist at his residence and remained with him for some time.

“I, along with my family, met Hamid Mir and his family. It was a family get-together. Mir’s health is much better than it was when I met him in Karachi earlier.” Rashid expressed his gratitude to the journalist for gifting him his book and said he felt honoured on receiving the gift signed by Hamid Mir. The book consists of Mir’s columns.

The News

Talking to reporters after visiting an expo at the Pak-China Friendship Centre on Sunday, he said the government was committed to protecting media freedom but it was also a prime responsibility of journalists and media organisations to safeguard the freedom through responsible conduct. In reply to a question about Geo TV, the minister said that since the issue was being looked into by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory, he would not pass any comment.

He said consultation on media-related matters was going on with the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors and Pakistan Broadcasting Association.

Mr Rashid said the government wanted to resolve such issues through consensus so that it could concentrate on real problems facing the country like terrorism, poverty and unemployment.

Answering a question, he said cable operators should not take law in their own hands by imposing ban on any TV channel.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had failed to deliver in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called upon the PTI leaders to focus on the issues of the province.

Earlier speaking at the exhibition, he said fees of needy students of MA, MPhil and PhD would be paid by the government so that they were not deprived of higher education. He said 100,000 laptops would be distributed among students on the basis of merit.

DAWN