Speaking on a point of order, Achakzai said there was not a single person in the country who did not support the Geo News. “A mob of a dozen people attacks the Geo offices on daily basis and nobody is stopping them,” he added.

He questioned as to why and under which law Geo had been closed and said if it had made any mistake, then Geo has sought an apology but so far it was still closed.The PkMAP chief said for the last one month, Geo was appealing to parliament for its help and it was time to take measures for its restoration and pass a resolution from parliament for its support.

Achakzai said the Jang Group, the country’s largest media group, had served the country and journalism for 70 years.He asked parliamentarians to take measures for the restoration of Geo and wondered why it was not restored till now.

PPP Senator Saeed Ghani also raised his voice in support of Geo, saying that when the government was taking action against those who had attacked the PTV building, then why action was not taken against those who were attacking Geo on a daily basis.

The News

According to media reports four armed men stormed the office located the posh Clifton locality of the city in the evening, forced employees to vacate the office and then set fire to the premise. The fire fighters rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire.

In May, the industry association of cable television operators had decided to suspend transmission of Geo Television Network channels ostensibly for broadcasting blasphemous content. The television network apologised for the programme but also went to court against the decision of the cable operators. The court ruled the suspension as illegal and directed cable operators to resume transmission of Geo. Worldcall and a number of other cable networks restored transmission but many did not. The arson attack seems to be in retaliation against the the restoration of Geo Television. Worldcall again suspended transmission of Geo Television channels after the arson attack.

“Worldcall had received several threats two days before the incident, and it also informed police about it but no security stepa were taken in this regard,” said Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists President Afzal Butt. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in a statement strongly condemned the attack and demanded that Rangers, police and law enforcement agencies personnel should trace out the culprits involved in the attack and apprehend them.

Pakistan Press Foundation

The court further said it was yet to be seen what course could be adopted if the cable operators did not broadcast transmission of a channel on a specific slot.Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing a petition of the Independent Media Corporation against not restoring the Geo News transmission on the specific slot in line with the Supreme Court’s orders.

Geo News Lahore Bureau chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Electronic Media Reporters Association President Asim Naseer, Electronic News Camera Association President Waheed Butt, Jang Workers Union President Rukhsana Nazli, Vice-President Muhammad Arshad, General Secretary Waseem Babar, civil society representative Abdullah Malik, PPP leader Iftikhar Shahid, LHC Bar Association Finance Secretary candidate Amina Ajmal and a large number of senior journalists were present in the courtroom.

At the outset, Pemra informed the court that show-cause notices had been issued to cable operators who did not available on cable network.Geo News counsels Behzad Haider and Jam Asif argued that the transmission had not been completely restored and it was totally closed in many areas. They pointed out that the cable operators had not restored Geo News transmission on its slot as it was on April 19.

At this, the Pemra counsel said Geo News had been restored but the bone of contention between cable operators and Geo News was its restoration on the previous slot. He suggested that the cable operators and Geo News could strike a deal on the issue.

The Geo News counsel contended that the Geo News transmission had not been brought back in compliance with the apex court’s order which was tantamount to an offence. “Now, PEMRA has come up with a plea that Geo’s transmission has been restored after issuance of show-cause notices to cable operators. The Have cable operators become saint?” the counsel questioned.

He said the Pemra had not taken action against the cable operators for violating the court orders. He requested the court to direct the cable operators to restore Geo News to its previous slot.The court, however, said it was a legal issue that would have to be determined.

During the hearing, Azam Nazir Tarar appeared on behalf of Pakistan Broadcasters Association and requested the court that the association wanted to become a party in the case. He said the association had 127 members and they might be affected by restoration of Geo News to its previous slot. The Geo News counsel opposed it; the court, however, adjourned the hearing till July 25.

The News

Petitioner counsel Saim Hashmi submitted that the respondents M/s World Call telecom, Pemra and Ministry of Information did not comply with the orders of the Pemra and broadcast of the Geo News remained suspended till filing of the petition. He submitted that blocking the transmission of the Geo News was the violation of the Supreme Court and High Court’s orders that restrained the Pemra and cable operators from blocking or interfering in the smooth transmission of the Geo News. The court was prayed to direct the respondents to restore the Geo News transmission at its position as it was on April 19, 2014 and restrain them from blocking or interfering with the transmission of the Geo News. SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi after preliminary hearing of the petition issued notices to the deputy attorney general for July 7.

The News

They demanded immediate restoration of the most favourite channel of the country and also supported fully the armed forces operation in North Waziristan.The protesters demanded the government restore Geo immediately as it was the voice of millions of Pakistanis and also those living abroad. They said if Geo was not restored after 15-day suspension, they would be on streets against the federal government and Pemra.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with anti-Pemra and anti-government slogans, the protesters first gathered outside Jang/Geo offices at Davis Road and then reached outside the LPC from where they took out a protest rally towards Muslim League House at Davis Road. They also expressed solidarity with workers and journalists of Jang/Geo and injured Hamid Mir.

Among the participants were Awami National Party Secretary General Ehsan Wayin, head of Civil Society Network Abdullah Malik, acclaimed singer/ artist Shaukat Ali, Wajahat Khan, Maqsood Butt, bureau chief of Geo Lahore Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Wasif Nagi, Nasrullah Malik, general secretary of Jang Workers Union Waseem Babar.

Shaukat Ali sung a national song and the protestors also expressed solidarity with the Army. Khawar Hashmi said Geo is the voice of millions of Pakistanis which could not be silenced on any pretext. Ehsan Wayin said Geo has huge viewership and it can play a vital role in uniting the nation. He called for immediate restoration of Geo.

Nasrullah Malik said the ban on Geo is tantamount to banning freedom of expression, which would not be tolerated. Abdullah Malik said the government and Pemra unlawfully shut down the most favourite channel of the country. He said workers of Jang/Geo have rendered great sacrifices for Pakistan, democracy and independence of media and again they are fighting for their freedom.

The News

The announcement came at a meeting of Insaf Group chaired by its secretary Rana Naveed Ahmad Joiya Advocate. Lawyers including Sharif Sohdal, Nadeem A Malik, Rana Tanveer Joiya and Syed Ihsan Shah Hamdani in their speeches added that a petition against ARY, Samaa and other TV channels had already been fixed for hearing at a session court on June 12. Many complainants were ready to move courts and police against the cables network operators in Kasur who were promoting vulgarity by showing Indian channels but banning the Geo News, they said.

The News

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