Benazir, US envoy condemn Geo ban
KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto during her visit to the office of Geo TV on Monday said without a free press, fair and transparent elections are not possible
Condemning the government’s steps to gag the media, she said the ban on Geo TV is tantamount to a ban on the entire nation. She also recorded her remarks in a “Solidarity book” placed outside the Geo office, saying the PPP respected the freedom of the press during its rule. She said such anti-state steps are tarnishing the image of the country.
She was accompanied by Naheed Khan, Sherry Rahman and other party leaders. She met the management and staff and expressed her concern over the closure of Geo transmission across the world.
Benazir observed that access to information was denied under a military ruler and demanded immediate restoration of the transmission. She assured full cooperation and support to Geo TV. Commenting on her meeting with the US ambassador she said the US wants moderate forces to rule the country and work in harmony towards strengthening democracy.
In reply to a question, she denied any meeting with President Musharraf and said disinformation cell was spreading rumours which create chaos and panic in the country. With regard to the promulgation of emergency in the country Benazir said it was not for controlling extremist forces; it was meant to pre-empt the decision of the Supreme Court against the president’s election.
On the forthcoming election, she said she wanted to take a decision in consultation with other opposition parties as she could not take any decision in isolation. She, however, said contesting election at this crucial juncture would not be feasible. Regarding the option of boycotting general elections, she said the option is open, but she would decide after consulting party leaders.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W Patterson, expressed deep concern over the ban imposed on the transmissions of the countryís largest TV network, Geo Television, in Pakistan by General Pervez Musharraf, after the imposition of emergency.
In an unannounced visit to the Geo Television headquarters in Karachi on Monday, the ambassador met the CEO of Geo TV Network, Mir Ibrahim-ur-Rahman, and President, Geo TV, Imran Aslam, editors and staffers.
The Geo staff briefed her on the difficulties faced by the media ever since the curbs were put in place. They also told her about the way in which Geo has been targeted by the closure of not only its news, but also its sports, entertainment and youth channels. Along with the distress faced by the Geo staff, she was informed about how millions of viewers had been deprived of a major source of information.
We know that it is an independent and proud channel that does its best to promote free media and we are also concerned about the economic losses that Geo has suffered not only from the curtailment of news but also entertainment channels,“ said Patterson.
Expressing concern over how Geo seemed to have been isolated and targeted, the ambassador said: ìWhat particularly concerns me about Geo is the blockage of the commercial and entertainment Geo channels. It appears to be economically punitive as well as a free speech issue.“
The ambassador was hopeful that the channel would be back on the air soon. She said the issue of banning Geo TV’s channels was discussed by John Negroponte in his recent talks with the government.
ìThis was an issue that the deputy secretary of state John Negroponte raised with the government. He indicated our concern at the suspension of the media and we certainly anticipate and hope that they will be restored soon.“
The ambassador also said that the US remained supportive of a free media, saying: ìLet me assure you of the US administrationís support for free media. We believe it was one of the major accomplishments of President Musharrafís administration. As Iíve said before, you cannot put the genie back in the bottle. Once the media is free to report they will continue to do so and so I wish you well.“
Altaf appeals to Musharraf to settle Geo issue
LONDON: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Husain has appealed to President General Pervez Musharraf and caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro to consider lifting the ban imposed on transmission of Geo TV and other channels.
He reminded President Musharraf that he had been taking bold decisions on a number of issues of great importance in the past and urged him to exercise the same sympathy on the issue of lifting ban on television channels.
He mentioned that allowing the channels to go on air would enable the political parties to participate in the election campaign effectively, express their viewpoints and highlight their manifesto to the masses. Altaf Husain asked the owners of the TV channels and anchormen to maintain balance in their analysis and comments, keeping in mind the ethics of journalism.
Media to be allowed to cover polls: Musharraf
ISLAMABAD: President Gen Pervez Musharraf, reiterating the government’s firm belief in the independence of media, has said the media will certainly be allowed to cover the upcoming elections.
“Certainly we will allow the media to cover the elections,” the president said in an interview with the American Fox News channel Monday night. The president, however, urging the media to follow the code of conduct, said: “The code of conduct does not mean that they should not criticise. Not at all.”
“I strongly believe in the independence of media. But yes indeed I believe in some kind of responsibility also,” he said and added there was hardly a code of conduct, which was being followed by the media.
The president said: “I have no problem. Criticise me or the government,” adding but the government wants media not to carry out defamation, distortion of truth, vulgarity and humiliation, specially of the country’s esteemed organisations and institutions.
He referred to the scenes of terrorist incidents, blood and body parts shown by the channels and said, “We do not want them to demoralise the nation.” The president said there was no problem with most of the channels, adding the problem is with the very few channels and they must accept the code of conduct.
“Whosoever is accepting the code of conduct is coming back and they are transmitting,” he added. To a question the president reaffirmed his pledge to take oath of office for next term as civilian.
He said once the Supreme Court passes judgment on validity of the presidential election — held last month — he is “determined to take oath as civilian. I will do it immediately after the judgment”.
Commenting on international reaction to the proclamation of emergency in the wake of terrorism challenges confronting the country, the president strongly defended the government’s measures.
The president was critical of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, saying she is trying to mislead the world by stating that elections will be postponed or the democratic process will be stopped.
SHC to hear Geo petitions today
KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) will hear stay application along with main petitions of Independent Media Corporation and Bird (Pvt) Limited today seeking lifting of ban on transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG TV channels.
The petitioners, who have landing right holder of satellite TV channels Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG TV in Pakistan, submitted that after the imposition of emergency rule on November 3 between 5.30pm to 6.00pm, all private satellite TV News channels including Geo TV network were off the air/proscribed by the PEMRA throughout the country.
Petitioners’ counsel Mohammad Ali Mazhar contended that the transmission of all such channels have been restored by the PEMRA but Geo TV Network and its channels are still under suspension/ban which is unjustified, unlawful and highly discriminatory act.
Sindh High Court (SHC) on previous hearing had asked Deputy Attorney General, Rizwan Siddiqui, as to why the transmission of Geo TV channels are not being restored while all such other channels have been allowed to air their transmission.
The court was prayed in petitions to declare the suspension/proscription or ban on Satellite TV channels as unlawful and without any lawful authority and even against the provisions of PEMRA third amendment Ordinance 2007 and direct the respondents to immediately lift the ban/suspension or proscription of petitioners’ TV channels Geo NEWS, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG forthwith.
The petitioners also prayed the court to direct PEMRA to issue necessary instructions/directions to all cable TV operators throughout the country to immediately go on air/restore the transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG on their Cable TV Networks without any interruption or interference and till the disposal of petitions direct the respondents to restore the transmission of TV channels.
Interior Sindh journalists’ hunger strike enters third day
SUKKUR: The hunger strike of print and electronic media journalists entered the third consecutive day on Monday to protest against the imposition of emergency rule, PCO and ìdraconianî laws framed by the government to curb the freedom of the press.
The hunger strikers include senior journalist Mushtaq Gillani, president Sukkur Press Club Khawaja Jawed Ahmed, president and general secretary respectively of Sukkur union of journalists Lala Asad Pathan and Shahid Ali, Asif Lodhi, Omar Soomro, Nasrullah Waseer and Imdad Bozdar.
The hunger strikers raised slogans against the anti-press laws, and declared their determination to carry on their struggle for undoing the same. According to an SPC spokesman the token hunger strike will continue for the next seven days.
On Monday leaders of many political and social parties, office-bearers of the Sindh High Court Bar Association and NGOS visited the hunger strike camp to express their solidarity with the journalists.
Those who visited the camp include PPPP leaders MPA Dr Mehreen Bhutto and Samina Aftab, joint secretary Sindh High Court Bar Association Zahida Lanjar, Maulana Hizbullah Jhakro and Musharraf Qadri of MMA and others. Meanwhile, a resolution adopted in a joint meeting of the Sindh High Court Bar Association and District Bar Association, Sukkur Press Club and Sukkur Union of Journalists, held at the bar room of the Sindh High Court Bar Association on Monday under the joint presidentship of president SPC and general secretary SHBA Shabbir Shar observed that the recent curbs on media would be remembered in the history of Pakistan as the worst chapter, through which the country was being pushed towards the stone age, while bringing a bad name to it throughout the world.
The meeting was held to express solidarity with the journalists of print and electronic media on a call of the Pakistan Bar Council. Speaking on the occasion, President Sukkur Press Club Khawaja Jawed Ahmed lauded the untiring efforts of the legal fraternity in the struggle for the freedom of the judiciary and vowed that the journalists would struggle shoulder to shoulder with the bar. He said like in the past, the bar and media would jointly struggle for the freedom of the judiciary and the press.
Shabbir Shar strongly condemned the curbs on the press, saying while the rest of the world was providing more freedom to the press, the government of Pakistan was trying to gag the media, under vested interests.
He said at this time of crisis the lawyersí community would not leave the media people alone and would jointly struggle for the freedom of the judiciary and the press. In Nawabshah the local journalists staged a protest demonstration against the closure of the Geo News and ARY TV channels.
The journalists wore black armbands and hoisted black flag atop the Nawabshah Press Club (NPC) building. In a joint statement, the NPC office-bearers condemned the ban, saying it was an attempt to gag the common man.
They said it also exposed the governmentís claims regarding freedom of expression. The whole world has realised the type and style of the freedom of expression the government claims to have given to the people, they said. They demanded immediate lifting of the ban on the two TV channels.
Journalists from Shikarpur, Naushahroferoze and Larkana observed token hunger strike in Khairpur on Monday against the shutting off the transmissions of the Geo News and ARY One World by the government.
They also held an emergency meeting, which was chaired by Zamir Hussain Lashari. The meeting condemned General Musharrafís decision of banning the transmission of the TV channels. They also slammed the government for pressurising the administration of the channels.
The speakers said the channels were telling the truth through their talk shows and political analysis. The journalists vowed that they would not accept dictatorial orders and would continue to bring forth facts for the people.
In Hyderabad, the protest against the imposition of emergency rule continued on Monday and lawyers boycotted the court proceedings, demanding an end to curbs on media and the judiciary and reinstatement of deposed judges. The legal fraternity also observed a day of solidarity with the media community over the closure of Geo and ARY television networks.
The Awami Tehreek (AT) continued its fill the jails movement against the state of emergency and curbs on the judiciary and media. Four party activists courted arrest.
Pakistan Peopleís Party leaders Zahid Bhurguri, Aftab Khanzada and Jendo Soomro have been released from central prison Hyderabad after their bail application was accepted and a good number of workers of PPP received them outside the prison. In Khairpur, Senator Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro demanded restoration of Geo News transmission.
Addressing a press conference at the Madrassa Jamia Hamadia here Soomro said Gen Pervez Musharraf is promoting Western culture in this Islamic country and he is also patronising some TV channels spreading obscenity but he banned the transmission of Geo News which is purely a news channel and which was conducting accountability of the politicians and rulers.
Geo banned to foil PPP mass contact’
LAHORE: PPP leaders said on Monday the closure of Geo, ARY and other news channels was a desperate attempt of the government to curtail PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto's mass contact, as the rulers were wary of her growing popularity. In a joint statement, PPP Punjab Information Secretary Farzana Raja and Deputy Information Secretary Iqbal Sialvi condemned curbs on the media and said General Musharraf was trying to fool the western world and the public. "He wanted to use the channels for promotion of the government and the PML," they charged and demanded lifting the ban on all private channels.
Journalists to stage demonstration today
KARACHI: All is set to hold a big procession of journalists on Tuesday. Programmes were finalised at a Media Coordination Committee and Unit Chiefs meeting held at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Monday.
The journalists will stage a protest demonstration against curbs on the media on Tuesday (today) in which all journalist organisations affiliated with the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) will participate.
The call to hold protest demonstration was given in response to the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) decision. A big procession would be taken out. The route of the rally was, however, not disclosed. The journalists were requested to gather at the KPC around 12noon sharp to avoid possible closure of roads leading towards the KPC. The office-bearers have requested to attend the rally to make it successful and register their protests for lifting the ban on the media imposed by the government.
A meeting of the Karachi Chapter of the All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) was also held at the KPC which observed “Youm-e-Nijat’ and criticised policies of the government.
Activists and doctors condemn ban on Geo
KARACHI: The decision of the government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) to relent to outside pressure and suspend transmissions of Geo Television and ARY from Dubai has been strongly regretted by the Asian Human Rights Comission (AHRC) of Pakistan.
“It greatly undermines their credibility when acting on orders from another state by interfering with the free flow of news and information that are of no concern or threat to their own stability,” said a statement released by the AHRC on Monday.
Geo television and ARY were asked to submit all its programmes for monitoring by government officials so that no show is aired without clearance but when the owner of the media organisations refused to comply, the government ordered that broadcast of the channels (based in the UAE) be cut on Friday night.
“The Arab leaders have no concern for democracy because they are autocrats,” said Zohra Yusuf, vice chairperson, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), in reaction to the suspension of Geo television’s transmission on Friday night.
The ban on state’s most popular television channel was not welcomed by human rights activists and minority leaders either who termed it as a huge step backwards as an independent nation.
However, Yusuf added that some self-censorship policies should be adopted by Geo network but did not think it was an appropriate way (by the government) to tackle with the issue. She was of the opinion that professional development takes a while and since the private electronic channels are in their initial years, it will take them a while to develop policies on censorship. The government should give journalists in the electronic media some time to mature.
“It’s like closing the barn doors after the horses have run away,” commented Nargis Rehman, president Women’s Foundation for Peace, who strongly condemned the closure of Geo network. “The government has distorted the law and we are humiliated by the steps being taken by the government one after the other. The media is clearly recognised as the fourth estate because it is a powerful watchdog; the government cannot just shut down channels and abuse democracy. It is simply not acceptable,” lamented Rehman, adding that this ban will not serve the government’s purpose because people have still been receiving information through the internet and international media, and it is impossible to stop the flow of information now.
Activists were also of the opinion that if the president is confident of his policies, so he need not adopt such tactics to silence the media. “This is not the sign of a progressive state. I can only see it moving backward,” remarked Marvin Parvez, Regional Director Church World Service Pakistan, who sounded disappointed with the government’s move. “The media is an important part of liberal democracy. I am saddened with this move because I personally relied on Geo television.”
While activists have been expressing their outrage and disappointment, the government chooses to remain oblivious to the impact this ‘information vacuum’ is having on the people.
ISO condemns ban on Geo
LAHORE: THE Imamia Students Organisation Pakistan while condemning the government for shutting down Geo TV Network termed the action a punishment for informing the countrymen about the truth. In a press statement, ISO Central Information Secretary Mumtaz Malik said Geo TV was closed for highlighting the truth and keeping the people updated and well-informed about real situation. He said that It was a fact that the rulers were the most frightened of any person, institution or element that tried to aware the masses of the truth. The ISO Pakistan expresses its solidarity with the entire journalists community and demands lifting of ban imposed on Geo TV Network, he added. |
