The participants chanted slogans in favour of Geo and the Jang Media 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. Arshad Aziz Malik, Mehmood Jan Babar, Barkatullah Marwat, Imdad Ali Qizalbash, Arsalan Khan, Niaz Muhammad, Said Rehman, Ms Sheeba Haider, Shahji and others attended the camp.

The speakers 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 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 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

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

Several journalists from the print and electronic media, members of the civil society, political leaders and trade union representatives visited the camp being arranged by the Khyber Union of Journalists.

The participants of the camp were critical of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for its decision to suspend the transmission of the most popular TV channel of the country for 15 days.

Those present at the camp asked the government to lift the curbs on the largest media group of the country. They resented the vilification campaign against the Geo TV channel. The protesting journalists asked the government to provide protection to Jang Media Group workers and its installations.

The speakers flayed the attacks on senior journalist Hamid Mir and Resident Editor of Jang in Multan, Zafar Aheer. They resented attacks of vehicles carrying thousands of copies of The News and Jang. They expressed concern over filing of cases against Jang Media Group.

President Khyber Union of Journalists Nisar Mehmood, President of Peshawar Press Club Nasir Hussain, former KhUJ president Arshad Aziz Malik, senior journalist Syed Bukhar Shah, Vice-President Farmanullah Jan, Khyber Photojournalists Association President Sajjad Khayal, Mehmood Jan Babar, Barkatullah Marwat, Sultan Siddiqui, Shah Jehan, Riaz Khan Daudzai, Muhammad Nauman, Sardar Imdad Qizalbash, Muhammad Fayyaz Khalil, Muhammad Munir, Ehtesham Toru, Shah Faisal and others were among the participants.

The protesting journalists warned of launching a countrywide protest campaign on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists if the restrictions on Geo News were not lifted as it was a matter of the freedom of expression.

The News