 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Geo blocked, govt clueless |
 |
 |
 |
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
KARACHI: Transmission of Geo New was blocked in most parts of the Karachi and several other cities across Sindh on Monday, the network said. “Geo transmission is stopped on cable in Karachi,” the network reported.
Geo said its transmission was also stopped in several other cities of Sindh including Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mirpurkhas. It said the authorities were not giving any reasons for the closure.
Sindh Information Minister Shazia Marri said she was unaware of the closure adding the action has not been taken by the People’s Party government. “It is surprising, sad and condemnable,” Marri told Geo television. She said the government has not issued any such instructions (to close Geo News transmission).
In Islamabad, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) denied any role in the closure and said it is holding an inquiry. Pemra in a press release said it has taken a very serious note of suspension of the distribution of its licensed channels “Geo News” and “ARY One World” on November 17, on cable TV networks in Karachi and some areas of the interior Sindh.
“Pemra got the transmission restored immediately and has taken prompt action against the defaulting cable operators,” the press release said. It said show cause notices have been issued to them and necessary investigation is underway.
“This is to assure all concerned that the Authority shall ensure strict legal action against the violators”, Pemra said. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that he will take strict notice of banning the transmission of private TV channels in Sindh as soon as he returns to Islamabad.
While talking to the media at Quetta airport, the PM said that the government has cancelled all the black laws, which were claiming the freedom of the media. He said that he did not know the reason why the transmission was banned. However he would ask the Ministry of Information regarding the issue.
The premier said that Pakistan People’s Party sacrifies a lot for the freedom of the judiciary and the media. When ex-president Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in the country, the martyred Chairperson of the PPP, Benazir Bhutto, arrived in Pakistan within three hours and called for the meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the party.
He said the meeting of the Central Executive Committee was held three times in 10 days to formulate modalities for the freedom of media and situation of emergency. The PM said that during the Long March, for the freedom of media and judiciary, he himself was arrested and his house was declared a sub-jail and after such sacrifice he could not allow anyone to hold hostage the freedom of the media.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Monday that the government had not ordered to stop the transmissions of any channel. She said closure of transmissions is the negation of the government’s policies about freedom of the media. She said the government is investigating the reasons behind the disconnection of Geo programmes.
PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain condemned the closure of Geo’s service and demanded its restoration. Geo and other news channels were shut down on November 17, 2007, when former president Pervez Musharraf had declared emergency in the country.
Geo television reported that other channels of Geo network were also shut in Karachi and other cities.
Our correspondent from Lahore adds: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmad has condemned the blockage of transmission of several private news channels, including Geo and ARY, in Sindh.
In a statement issued on Monday, Qazi cited some reports that the blockage was a conspiracy hatched by the Sindh government’s political ally, which was pressurising the cable operators. He said such a condemnable action was tantamount to suppressing the freedom of the press. He demanded of the government to take immediate action and restore the transmission of the affected news channels.
|
|
 |
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
 |
|
Three killed as Sh Rashid escapes attempt on life
By Shakeel Anjum RAWALPINDI: Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief and a candidate for NA-55 (Rawalpindi) by-election Sheikh Rashid Ahmad was wounded, while three people — a guard and two party workers — were killed when four gunmen more |
|
|
12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan
ISLAMABAD: Twelve soldiers embraced martyrdom while two others were injured in a clash with militants during the ongoing operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the ISPR said on Monday.
S more |
|
|
Plan to attack five-star hotel foiled
By our correspondent LAHORE: The CIA police here on Monday claimed to have foiled an attack on Americans staying at a five-star hotel and arrested six terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
Addressing a press conference, SS more |
|
|
Govt taking court for a ride
By Ansar Abbasi ISLAMABAD: She fought her case in the media. She won her battle in the judicial forum too. But still the government is bent on making an example out of her for refusing to follow the illegal dictates of her min more |
|
|
Pakistan against arms race: Gilani
By Azeem Samar KARACHI: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday said Pakistan does not want to be engaged in an arms race with any country.
Speaking as chief guest at the induction ceremony of second Chinese-m more |
|
|
|
Punjab-Sindh water row Centre’s intervention sought
By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Tension between Punjab and Sindh over opening of the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Punjnad link canals has touched a new high as the former has sought the Centre’s intervention.
The Punjab has sai more |
|
|
|
French, Dutch fight over giving LNG to Pakistan
By Khalid Mustafa ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and his team is all set to thwart the attempt of an unscrupulous combine of oil industry heavyweights and some functionaries of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Re more |
|
|
|
Nine killed as no let-up in rains
By Nisar Mahmood PESHAWAR: Nine people were killed and scores of others injured as heavy rains and snowfall lashed various parts of the country for the fourth consecutive day on Monday.
Reports from the Shangla district more |
|
|
|
Malik orders NUML closure as protest enters 5ht day
ISLAMABAD: The protest of the students of the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) against thrashing of Professor Malik Tahir by Registrar Brigadier (R) Obaidullah Ranjha entered its fifth consecutive more |
|
|
|
Malik insists no Blackwater in Pakistan
By Muhammad Anis ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik while responding to an accusation from a PML-N parliamentarian told the National Assembly that Blackwater was not providing security to the president and the prime mini more |
|
|
|
FBR gets list of properties rented out to foreigners
By Hanif Khalid ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received list of properties from Foreign Office, which were in use of foreigners in Islamabad, Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore, but these were not shown in annual tax more |
|
|
|
Repealing of 17th Amendment
By our correspondent ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has begun efforts to create consensus on repealing the 17th Amendment before presidential address to the joint sitting of the parliament.
The prime minis more |
|
|
|
Three suspects held in Mohmand
By our correspondent GHALLANAI: The security forces arrested three suspected persons during search operation in Safi subdivision of Mohmand Agency, official sources said Monday. The sources said the security forces carried out sear more |
|
|
|
No presence of Blackwater, DynCorp in Pakistan, NA body told
ISLAMABAD: Secretary Interior Qamar Zaman again negated on Monday the presence of Blackwater, DynCorp or any other foreign security agency in the country. “Neither the Blackwater and the DynCorp nor any other s more |
|
|
|
Govt urged to take up water issue with India
By Asim Yasin ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Q, Parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat while urging the government to take up the issue of ‘water terrorism’ with New Delhi, has question more |
|
|
|
Avalanche kills 17 Indian soldiers in held Kashmir
HELD SRINAGAR: Seventeen Indian soldiers were killed on Monday in an avalanche that slammed into a group of 70 combat troops at a high-altitude warfare training camp in Kashmir, the army said on Monday.
more |
|
|
|
Taliban defiant as Afghans flee ahead of assault
KANDAHAR: The Nato commanders urged the Taliban to surrender as troops dug in on Monday for a major assault on their key stronghold in southern Afghanistan, sending thousands of residents fleeing.
The Ta more |
|
|
|
Plea to freeze foreign accounts
By our correspondent LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the federal government to submit a reply within four weeks on a petition seeking freezing of accounts in foreign banks and recovery of illegal assets accumu more |
|
|
|
Attack on Sh Rashid
RAWALPINDI: The PML-N candidate for by-polls from NA-55, Malik Shakil Awan, has announced suspension of electioneering for a day to mourn the death of those killed in the attack on the office of his rival, Shei more |
|
|
|
Indian forces to halt Kashmir rally outside UN office
HELD SRINAGAR: The held Kashmir authorities deployed thousands of police and troops on Monday to prevent a protest outside the UN office here over the recent killing of two teenage boys by Indian security force more |
|
|
|
briefs...
20 die in Afghan floods, avalanches
KANDAHAR: Twenty people have died in floods and avalanches triggered by some of the heaviest rain and snow in Afghanistan for 50 years, an official said on Monday. At more |
|
|
|