ISLAMABAD:
Geo television
has decided
to knock on
the doors
of the Supreme
Court again
by moving
a contempt
of court petition
against the
Pakistan Electronic
Media Regulatory
Authority
(Pemra) after
the apex court’s
orders to
restore the
Geo transmission
were completely
ignored and
the government’s
‘instructions’
on this count
simply put
into dustbin
by the Pemra.
As a result,
Geo is still
blacked out
across the
country.
After the
horrible attack
on Pakistan’s
star journalist
and Geo News
senior anchorperson
Hamid Mir
on April 19
in Karachi,
certain forces
started getting
the transmission
of Geo News
closed or
shifting the
channel to
last numbers
on cable networks.
Within a few
days, Geo
News and other
channels of
the Geo family
were either
put off air
or were thrown
on the last
numbers on
cable networks
in 70% areas
of Pakistan.
Viewers could
not watch
their favourite
channel on
the last numbers
because of
limited channel
carrying capacity
of their TV
sets or bad
signal quality
at those numbers.
Geo continuously
informed Pemra
about the
closure or
obstruction
in its transmission
but the authority
never took
any action
and remained
mysteriously
silent though
it was its
fundamental
duty to resolve
the complaints
from any channel
facing closure.
However, later
the hidden
forces intensified
their action
against the
Geo News and
all other
channels of
Geo family
were put off
air in more
than 95% areas
of Pakistan
and the organisation
itself announced
that channels
were completely
closed in
Pakistan.
After failing
to get any
relief from
Pemra even
after filing
five complaints,
Geo moved
the Supreme
Court which
in its judgment
clearly ordered
the authority
to get the
Geo News and
all Geo channels
restored immediately
and shifted
to their original
positions.
After the
Supreme Court
had started
its proceedings,
the government
also asked
the Pemra
to try to
get Geo restored.
The Pemra
issued a letter
to all the
cable operators
to restore
all the Geo
channels to
their original
positions.
However, Pemra’s
action remained
confined to
issuing this
letter and
also taking
action against
the powerful
cable operators
at some places
but the result
was almost
zero. The
reason was
backing of
cable operators
by some hidden
forces and
incompetence
and insincerity
of Pemra officials
at many places.
All this resulted
in complete
disregard
of the Supreme
Court’s
May 26 judgment,
which was
not implemented
anywhere asGeo
is still facing
a countrywide
blackout and
also terrible
conspiracies
against it
and its staff
on a daily
basis.
Geo is the
most popular
channel of
Pakistan known
for open debates
and independent
and impartial
analysis and
comments.
Geo is also
known for
providing
the latest
information
and exclusive
news to its
tens of millions
of viewers
across Pakistan
and many parts
of the world.
Not only Geo
is completely
off in Pakistan
and Pemra
is unable
to restore
Geo and its
channels and
thus implement
the clear
judgment of
the Supreme
Court but
the staff
of Geo is
also working
under constant
threats. Most
interestingly,
the so-called
democratic
provincial
governments
are so far
unable to
provide protection
to Pakistan’s
largest media
house and
its journalists
and workers.
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