The media house urged the civil and military leaders to instruct the relevant police officers all over Pakistan to meet with management of Jang/Geo and discuss security steps which need to be taken immediately.

The copies of letter were also sent to the home secretaries, top police officials and director generals Rangers and Inter Services Public Relations.

In the letter, Geo further said that its employees including female staff, contributors, distributors and editorial writers are being followed, and sent threatening letters. They feel feared of being attacked as been accused of being anti-state and anti-army.

Geo’s Karachi Bureau Chief, who was staying at the AKU folowing the attack on Hamid Mir, was constantly followed and called a “traitor”. When he confronted his follower, he was told ‘It’s our job to keep an eye on you”, the letter said.

Geo cameraman Asif Kabeer who was attacked and severely beaten on April 29 as he was going to cover the Jamat-ud-Dawa and Al-Muhammadia Students rally in support of the Pakistan Army and Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) in Rawalpindi. “They called him an Indian agent and threatened to kill him.” In another incident, the residence of the investigative reporter of The News, Imdad Soomro, was attacked and burnt on April 30 in Sehwan, Sindh.

The group chief executive’s car was also attacked when he visited his lawyer. As he entered the office of his lawyer, some people on motorcycles tried to smash the car window with iron bars and stones and sped away.

One of the editorial writer of a newspaper of same media group “The News” received a phone call at 4 am on April 30 in Islamabad; he was told to stop writing for “The News” and threatened with dire consequences if he didn’t stop. He also found an envelope slipped under the door containing the same threat. The same letter was delivered to his Karachi residence as well.

A large number of Jang Group newspaper hawkers have been denied access to many localities and have been told not to carry and deliver Jang or The News. Similarly, many newspaper agents in Sindh and Punjab provinces have received telephone calls ordering them to stop selling ‘Ghaddar’ (traitor) newspapers, the letter said.

On April 30, the Geo office in Islamabad was surrounded by an unruly mob. They chanted slogans accusing the channel of being anti-state. Some of the people were seen carrying petrol bottles. The slogans rose as the channel is anti-state, anti-army, traitors and Wajibul Qatal (liable to be killed) while the police stood by and took no action.

Pakistan Press Foundation

Asked by The News about the attempts by some quarters to persecute Geo and the Jang Group, Nawaz Sharif said that the media was playing a positive role in Pakistan and there was every reason for an independent media such as Jang and Geo to continue functioning without any forcible shutdowns.

The prime minister said that since he came to power, his government had not imposed any kind of restrictions on the media and it believed in the freedom of expression.

Asked about the application seeking a ban on Geo and the Jang Group through Pemra, the premier said that a Judicial Commission had been formed to look into various aspects of the developments surrounding the attack on Hamid Mir. The premier stressed that the commission was the right forum to look into various aspects of the incident.

Nawaz Sharif said the UK and Pakistan had enjoyed great relations and during this visit, he will seek to cement further the relations between the two countries. He hoped that the UK and Pakistan will continue to cooperate in areas of mutual interest.

Nawaz Sharif said that his government had started a dialogue with the Taliban with good intentions and wanted to continue this process. “We want to establish peace through dialogue. Look at the example of Ireland where peace was established through peace talks. There is nothing wrong in seeking peace through negotiations,” said the prime minister.

Speaking about the situation in Karachi, Nawaz Sharif said that his government had started working to establish peacein Karachi. “I made Karachi priority after coming to power. Karachi is dear to us all. We love Karachi. It is Pakistan’s economic hub and we are doing everything to establish peace there on a priority basis.”

Nawaz Sharif said that his government was trying to create a suitable atmosphere for the overseas Pakistanis and was creating opportunities for them.

PR adds: British International Development Secretary Justine Greening called on Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif here on Tuesday.

During the meeting, issues related to development and welfare were discussed, said a press release.The prime minister said that Pakistan’s priorities include reviving the economy, overcoming energy shortage, eradicating extremism and promoting human rights. “Moreover, our government is committed to good governance, curbing corruption, fiscal discipline, widening tax base, and introducing other fiscal measures to revive the economy,” added the prime minister.

Nawaz said Pakistan greatly appreciates the generous development assistance by the British government, especially in education and health sectors and Pakistan welcomes the increase in size and scope of the DFID program, particularly in the field of education.Collaboration in professional development, faculty training, research, academia, student exchange programmes and cultural partnerships were also discussed.

The News

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned a request from the Pakistan Ministry of Defence for the government to shut down the country’s largest television news station, Geo.

According to media reports, on Tuesday, 22 April, in the first action of its kind, the Ministry of Defence requested that the government invoke media regulations to shut down Geo, accusing the station of running a “vicious campaign” against the military’s Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, or ISI.

Unease had been building between the Ministry and the station since last Saturday, 19 April, when Hamid Mir, a television anchor for Geo, was shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen as he was being driven to a television studio in Karachi.

Mir survived the attack and is being treated for gunshot wounds to the chest and shoulder. But as he was still receiving emergency treatment, Geo broadcast accusations from his brother, the journalist Amir Mir, who accused the ISI of being responsible for the attack. Geo also reportedly broadcast a photograph of the ISI chief, Lt. Gen. Zahir ul-Islam, while a senior journalist employed by the station called for the general to resign.

Media reports say that in a four-page letter to the state-run Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the Defense Ministry not only asked for Geo’s broadcasting license to be revoked, but called for the body to initiate criminal proceedings against Geo editors and management.

“This is a difficult period in Pakistan and passions and anger are clearly running high following the vicious attack on the journalist Hamid Mir. But this should not lead to controls and restrictions being placed on the country’s media,” said IFJ President Jim Boumelha.

“We strongly condemn the call for the closure of Geo and we call on the government of Pakistan to reject the request and to ensure the rights and freedoms of media organisations and journalists in the country are upheld.”

The National Union of Journalists in the UK and Ireland (NUJ) has expressed its opposition to the Defence Ministry’s actions and the NUJ London chapel of Geo TV have helped to organise a solidarity protest in support of Hamid Mir on Saturday 26 April at 3.30pm outside the Pakistan High Commission in London.

International federation of Journalists (IFJ)

Hamir Mir issued his first official statement on Thursday after regaining consciousness. In his statement, Hamid Mir thanked the Pakistani people and said it was due to their prayers and the grace of Allah that he has gotten a new life.

He said that he had informed the Geo management, his family and close friends of threats he was facing prior to the April 19 attack. Hamid Mir said he had identified the elements from whom he was facing threats and they were identified by his brother Amir Mir following the attack.

According to Hamid Mir, he had informed close associates, apart from Amir Mir, about who would be held responsible if he was attacked. Hamid Mir said he had threats from state and non-state actors but in the recent past such events had taken place which led him to inform his colleagues about the elements who could be involved in conspiracies to kill him.

Hamid Mir said that a few days ago, some members of intelligence agencies came to his house and informed him that his name, along with that of other journalists, was on a hit-list.

Despite being asked, these people did not provide any details pertaining to who had made the hit-list. After this meeting, Hamid Mir informed officials at concerned departments that in the past he had threats from state and non-state actors because usually state actors use the name of non-state actors to threaten journalists so they can be stopped from telling the truth.

According to Hamid Mir, he had informed the intelligence personnel who came to his house that he felt threatened the most by the ISI and they should convey this to their officers. Hamid Mir further said that the ISI was upset with him because of a ‘Capital Talk’ programme which covered the long march of Mama Qadir Baloch. Hamid Mir added that he was aware of the ISI being upset over his criticism of the role of intelligence agencies in politics.

Hamid Mir said that if officials had reports of threats he was facing why was he not informed in writing. He questioned why those who had planted a bomb underneath his car in November 2012 were not exposed despite the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claiming responsibility for it?

According to Hamid Mir, phone numbers of those who had issued him death threats were provided to the Islamabad Police, but why did the police not take action against them? He said that despite a police report, action was not taken against those who had attacked his children in Islamabad.

Hamid Mir said that he would provide further details of these incidents when the time comes. He said his life was in the hands of Allah and he was answerable before the Almighty.

Hamid Mir said his fight was the same as that of his father Professor Waris Mir. This was a fight for Pakistan’s survival, safety and to strengthen the country. His fight was for democracy, elimination of terrorism, supremacy of law, protection of freedom of expression, rights of small province and to be the voice of the poor. He added that this voice could not be silenced.

Hamid Mir said that he was working alongside the media, civil society, and political parties in this fight. The senior Geo News anchor said that he would continue to wage this fight till his last breath. He added that no institution or individual in Pakistan was above the law or constitution.

Hamid Mir said after being shot multiple times he now understands the gravity of the sacrifices rendered by the jawans of the Pakistan Amry and security forces better than someone who has not been through the same ordeal.

Mir said this does not mean that he should remain silent on the unconstitutional role of the intelligence agencies in politics in the name of being patriotic.Hamid Mir strongly condemned the government and state enforced shutdown of Geo transmission, adding that in the past Geo News had stood firm when it was banned during the dictatorship of General (R) Musharraf. With the support of the people and God willing, Hamid Mir said the Geo team would once again overcome such measures.

Hamid Mir expressed fear over the security of his brother Amir Mir and other family members and said if they were harmed the responsibility would be on state elements and the government. Hamid Mir said that Allah had saved his life which proved that the Almighty was more powerful than those who had attacked him.Hamid Mir appealed to people to continue their prayers for his health and complete recovery.

The News