The court was hearing a set of identical petitions filed by the Independent Media Corporation and Independent News Corporation against the suspension of Geo News, Geo Tez, Geo Kahani and Geo Entertainment transmission by the cable operators.

Petitioner’s counsel Jam Asif submitted that the cable operators had no authority to suspend the transmission of licensed TV channels or change their position.

He said private cable operators did not comply with the orders of Pemra and hence the broadcast of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Tez and Geo Kahani remained suspended for the last four months. He submitted that blocking the transmission of Geo TV channels was a violation of the SC and High Court’s orders that restrained Pemra and cable operators from blocking or interfering with their smooth transmission.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, asked the counsel for Pemra if the authority could cancel the licence of cable operators who were violating the law and what action had been taken against those who were not complying with the Supreme Court orders.

Pemra counsel Kashif Hanif submitted that they had issued show cause notices to cable operators who were not broadcasting the transmission of the Geo TV. He said the cable operators replied that they were not broadcasting the Geo TV transmission as the case was sub judice. He said Pemra would take an appropriate action against the cable operators after the court directive.

The court observed that the Supreme Court had directed the cable operators and Pemra and it should be implemented in letter and spirit. It further said if the orders were not complied with then the aggrieved parties could file contempt of court applications with the Supreme Court.

After partly hearing the arguments of the petitioners counsel, the court adjourned the hearing for September 10 with direction to repeat notices to un-served respondents. Ministry of Information, Pemra and cable operators including Syed Imran Haider Abidi of Home Vision Network, Kazim (Acting CEO) of Media Plus Communication, Ghufran Mujtaba of City Communication, Ikhlaq Ahmed of Karachi Cable Service, Mehmood Ahmed of City Communication Cable Network Sukkur, Ahmed Ali of A.A Cable Network Nawabshah, Skyline Cable Network, Mohammad Hussain of Track Communication, Zahir Ali of City Cable Network Hyderabad, Sheikh Asim Rasool of New Asia Communication and Nadir Shahani of Highway Communication were cited as respondents in the petitions.

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The journalists also criticised discontinuation of Geo News at some cable networks despite Supreme Court of Pakistan orders.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists had made a countrywide appeal to observe the black against the imposition of martial law and destruction of democratic institutions on July 5, 1977, by former president General Ziaul Haq.

The journalists condemned black laws against freedom of press and demanded repeal of such laws. They demanded freedom of Press and media and protection of journalists at all levels.

The South Punjab PPP office-bearers Malik Amir Dogar, Khawaja Rizwan Allam, Khurshid Ahmed Khan, traders representative Khalid Qureshi took part in the demonstration.

Senior journalists and former president Multan Press Club Rana Pervez Hamid, Multan Press Club caretaker Raziuddin Razi, Rao Asad, Sajjad Khokhar, Mazhar Khan and Nadeem shah also took a part in the demonstration.

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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.

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A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Mushir Alam heard the constitutional petition filed by the Independent Media Corporation (IMC) on behalf of Geo Television Network for consolidation of dozens of FIRs lodged against it across the country.

The court also issued notices to all the advocates general of the four provinces directing them to assist it in the instant matter after the Attorney General suggested to the court that being the provincial matter, advocates general of the four provinces should be asked to assist the court in the instant matter.

Appearing on notice, Attorney General Salman Aslam Butt informed the court that the matter pertaining to FIRs lodged across the country against the Geo TV was being under investigation. He, however, said that as the matter related to the provinces where complaints had been lodged against Geo TV, therefore, it would be appropriate that advocates general of the four provinces should be asked to assist the court in this regard.

Meanwhile, the court issued notices to advocates general of the four provinces to appear before the court and assist it in the instant matter and adjourned the hearing for a week.

Earlier, during the course of hearing, the court asked Muhammad Akram Sheikh, the counsel for Geo Television to invoke the jurisdiction of learned high court for being the simple case of criminal jurisdiction.

Muhammad Akram Sheikh, however, contended that it was the matter of high public importance as the country’s popular TV channel had been blocked which is violation of Article 19 of the Constitution. He said that being a case of public importance, the petition was filed under Article 184(3) of the Constitution as billions of people had been deprived of watching the popular TV channel.

He informed the court that over 39 FIRs had been lodged against Geo Television in the four provinces. He requested the court to consolidate all these FIRs for eventual quashing of proceedings on them.

He said that Article 19 ensures freedom of speech and expression while Article 10-A gives the right of fair trial to his client. He pleaded that the instant case fell in the jurisdiction of Article 184(3) of the Constitution for being public importance.

In its petition, the Independent Media Corporation had prayed to the apex court to order the law enforcement and investigation agencies and lower courts all over the country to submit copies of all the criminal complaints, FIRs and petitions filed under Section 22A that contained allegations of blasphemy regarding the show.

It had further requested to issue directives for consolidation of all FIRs that might have been registered in various parts of the country and to restrain the law enforcing and investigating agencies from registering any new case, but to forward all pending and new FIRs containing allegations of blasphemy before the Supreme Court for eventual quashing of proceedings on them.

The petitioner had also requested to order the relevant law-enforcing agencies in all the provinces to take required steps for protection of the petitioners, management and staff of the Geo, Jang Group, along with their offices all over the country.

Federal government through secretary interior, chief secretaries of the four provincial governments and chief commissioner Islamabad have been made as respondents in the instant petition.

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The prominent among them were: Maqsood Butt, Zahid Zulfiqar of PPP, Abdullah Malik, Nisar Safdar Advocate, Shahida Jabeen, Iftikhar Shahid, Anjum Rasheed, Muhammad Yaseen and Khawar Naeem Hashmi. The protesters demanded removing the ban on Geo News.

Senior journalist Anjum Rasheed said Geo was the face of Pakistan and its closure was damaging the country’s image in the international community.Nisar Safdar said Geo was the voice of people and they would not let it blacked out completely at any cost.

Shahida Jabeen stated that the people would have true knowledge of situation in Karachi, if Geo had not been closed, while Zahid Zulfiqar said banning Geo meant banning freedom of expression.

Wapda union activist Tariq demanded of removing ban on Geo without any delay. The Jang Workers Union general secretary stated that they would fight for the freedom of expression till their last breathe. Senior journalist Maqsood Butt also expressed similar views.

Abdullah Malik said the closure of Geo was damaging society’s fabric. Ijaz Mirza said he was among the protesters to support the cause of Geo and wanted its immediate reopening. Hanif Goraya said a conspiracy was being hatched to shut down Geo but they would not allow the conspirators to achieve their goal.

Other senior journalists who participated in the protest included Suhail Warraich, Pervaiz Bashir, Wasif Nagi, Amer Malik, Babar Dogar, Ashar Butt, Gohar Butt, Zahid Bhatti, Ijaz Maqbool, Javed Farooqi, Rizwan Khalid, Adnan Malik, Tariq Jamal and Mian Abid.

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The protesters said the government backed-Pemra had punished the Geo News unheard that was unlawful and against the all norms of justice. They said such a decision form an acting chairman-led Pemra depicted the government’s intention towards the freedom of media as Pervez Rathore, who ordered the suspension of the Geo News for 15 days, had served Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as his personal staff officer in 1999.

Carrying banners and placards inscribed with anti-Pemra, anti-Rathore and anti-government slogans, the protesters gathered outside Jang/Geo offices on the Davis Road to condemn the decision. They expressed their solidarity with injured anchorperson Hamid Mir and workers and journalists of the Geo/Jang Group. They condemned burning of vehicles and copies of daily Jang and The News in different cities of the country.

PPP workers including PPP’s lawyer Forum, Awami Workers Party, Civil Society Network Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami and representatives of journalists’ bodies including Punjab Union of Journalist, Lahore Press Club and Federal Union of Journalists participated in the demonstration.

The speakers said the government and ‘hidden hands’ wanted to squeeze the independence of media and freedom of expression but their dreams would not come true as the journalists community along with other segments of the society would foil any such move. They said the government should have acted as neutral player in the whole issue but the recent decision of the Pemra exposed the government which muzzled the most popular channel of the country.

The participants included Abdullah Malik, president, Civil Society Network Pakistan, senior journalists including Khawar Naeem Hashmi, Wasif Nagi, Maqsood Butt, Gohar Butt, general secretary of Jang Workers Union, Waseem Babar, president, Jang Workers Union, Rukhsana Nazli, Bedar Bakht Butt, Waheed Butt, Khalid Farooqi, Senior Vice President, PFUJ, Ijaz Mirza, Arif Zafar, Shahid Ch of PFUJ, Akbar Jatoi, Asim Hussain, Khalid Khattak, Shahid Aslam, Asher Butt, Amer Malik, Farhat Abbas Shah, Farha Zia, Mahmood Ahmed, Ameen Hafeez, Rasheed Ali, Ijaz Manzoor, Jawwad Malik, Nadeem Zia, Zahid Ahmed, Fahira Tehreem, Zahid Ali Khan, Muneer Khokhar, Sharafat Ali, Rabnawaz Khan, Rana Shahid, Muhammad Ali Zafar, Raja Arsalan Khan, Muhammad Shafique Ahmed, Tariq Jamal, Mirza Naseer Baig, Azhar Maqbool, Irfan Nazir, Sohail Imran, Idrees Tabassum of Pak-India Forum, Shahida Butt, Hizar Hayat Gondal, Muhammad Babar, Sabir Awan, Adil Khokhar, Siraj Qadri, Muhammad Hussain, Salman Rasool, Saeed Aziz, Tahir Saleem, Sohail Butt, Imdad Qureshi, Sohail Ahmed, SM Aqeel, Akmal Bhatti, Ghalib Abbas, Awais Malik, Usman Saleem, Zainulabedin and Naeem Sarfraz.

Bedar Bakht Butt said the curtailment of media meant derailment of democracy, adding that the illegal act of the Pemra was not acceptable to journalists and people of Pakistan. He said it was the media which fought dictators in the lawyers movement as majority of the politicians remained aloof of the movement until it succeeded. He said democratic forces should keep in mind that if hidden forces curtailed the media independence, democracy would be in danger as well.

Maqsood Butt said the Pemra decision was illegal and Geo/Jang workers would not accept it. He said the Geo News was punished only for raising truth, demanding justice and projecting the rule of law for everyone in the country. He said culprits who attacked Hamid Mir were still at large, which was a sign of serious concern for the whole journalists community. He said all conspiracies against the Geo/Jang Group would be foiled with the collective effort of the workers and the journalists community.

Waseem Babar said the Pemra decision was tantamount to rubbing salt into the wounds of Jang/Geo workers protesting for the last 45 days against the illegal suspension of the Geo TV network across Pakistan. He said Geo/Jang workers were ready for every kind of sacrifice to defend the largest and most independent media group. He said protests would be staged outside the Chief Minister’s House, Governor’s House and then a long march would be held towards Islamabad. He announced that on Monday (today) Jang workers would offer arrests against the Geo suspension.

Abdullah Malik said the Geo News was punished through a planned conspiracy. He said time had come for the journalists to identify and throw out all black sheep which were destroying the very purpose of journalism. He said the Geo/Jang workers had rendered great sacrifices for Pakistan, democracy and independence of media and again were fighting for the freedom of media. He said the whole nation was standing with Hamid Mir and the Geo/Jang Group as some ‘hidden hands’ wanted to curb the largest media house of the country for their vested interests.

Sirajul Haq Qadri said the Geo/Jang Group was a family of over 50,000 employees and they would defend it against all illegal acts. He said the Geo News made a mistake but shutting down the channel and Jang Group newspapers was not a solution to the whole issue as many made mistakes in the past in this country. “When the Geo News has rendered an unconditional apology, the matter should have been over”. According to Qadri, acts like suspending a TV channel earn a bad name for the country.

According to Ijaz, those Mullahs, who are issuing sermons against the Geo/Jang Group, should have pity on the nation. He said the Geo/Jang Group was a voice of the nation and no one could stop it from informing people about what was right and wrong. He said those who suspended the Geo News were not well-wishers of the nation as they aimed at depriving a large number of people of their fundamental right to information and entertainment. He said by blocking the Geo/Jang Group, thousands of employees of the largest media group and their families would be affected.

Ijaz said it was strange that persons like Mubashir Lucman were shouting against the Geo/Jang Group, independent judiciary and democracy, adding that such so-called anchors even did not know the basics of journalism. He asked why actions against persons like Lucman were not being taken by the Pemra as such persons have maligned and ridiculed sitting judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Farooq Chohan condemning the ban on the Geo News demanded that the political role of secret agencies should be stopped so that media, judiciary and political leadership could get ‘real’ independence. He alleged that agencies wanted to bring the Bangladesh model to Pakistan through such conspiracies but the Pakistani nation had become aware of such acts and would foil any such move. He said they would not allow the government and ‘hidden hands’ to curtail the media independence at any pretext.

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and unequivocally condemned Pemra’s 15-day suspension of Geo TV.Closing down private independent media by Pemra is not the answer to anything, she said. “Today it is Geo suspended, tomorrow it can be any other channel.

Do not celebrate the death of your enemy, as tomorrow your friend will die too. The only winners are the establishment and the evil forces against democracy, human rights, freedom and progressive thinking.

Tahira said all must work together, in unity and solidarity, to save our hard-won media freedoms, under Act. 19 & 19-A of our Constitution, as it was not handed to us on a silver platter, but was fought for, with blood, imprisonment, torture and severe censorship & hardships.

She said: “I do not condone the several hours of emotive, sensationalist, defamatory telecasting that unfortunately occurred immediately after my brother and dear friend Hamid Mir was attacked in Karachi (I continue to pray to God for his long life and good health), but once the senior management of the Media House (the JangGroup) acknowledged and apologized for this lapse in editorial judgement, there was absolutely no justification for Pemra to act thus. It seems to be part of a personal vendetta, like the one being carried out with such vigour by a rival media group and a few others too. I reiterate that the only victim will be the freedom of the media (both print & electronic) if we start going down this slippery slope.”

This sets a bad precedent, and is unforgivably shortsighted, given our sad history of 34 years of military misrule, out of our 67 years of independence.She asked: “Where are the media unions and the councils in all this?, PFUJ, UJs, APNS, CPNE, PBA, PCP, Press Clubs, etc. We see today the media houses and even media individuals hopelessly divided-and-ruled by cunning establishment tactics, partisan politics, undue politicization, the lure of filthy lucre and favours, and sadly, also by threats, intimidation, kidnapping, torture, killing, ad-revenue loss, and other assaults on the freedom of the media.”

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