Demonstrations held against Geo
PESHAWAR: Protest demonstrations were held in many areas of the country on Monday against Geo TV for broadcasting controversial content.
The Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Pakistan, Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat and Tehreek Minhajul Quran women wing staged separate demonstrations outside the Peshawar Press Club on Monday in protest against certain programmes telecast by the Geo TV recently.
One of the rallies was led by Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Pakistan Peshawar district president Malik Adnan and another by Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat Peshawar head Maulana Mohammad Ismail.
The demonstrators raised slogans against the media organisation and demanded action against the programme telecast recently. The speakers urged the government to take action against the people behind such programmes and to stop anti-Islam propaganda.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Lahore, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) announced observing a countrywide ‘protest day’ on May 23 (Friday) against ‘uncontrollable media freedom’.
“We demand a complete ban on morning shows airing obscene, immoral and unethical content which led to chaos and degeneration of values in the society and caused an upsurge in sex crimes in the country,” said JUP president Pir Ijaz Hashmi.
A group of hooligan lawyers on Monday did not allow the Geo News reporter and cameraman to perform their official duties, as they pushed them out forcibly from the premises of Sessions Court, Lahore, while abusing, harassing and warning them of dire consequences.
The Geo News reporter, Amin Hafeez, and cameraman along with other media men from different news channels was present outside the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghazanfar Shah where a petition seeking registration of a case against Geo News and ARY News for their alleged blasphemous act of airing content pertaining to the Ahl-e-Bait is pending.
However, a group of lawyers led by Advocate Aftab Virk approached Amin and asked him to leave the premises, saying the Geo staff members were not allowed to enter the courts premises.
The lawyers started pushing him and the cameraman. Media men from other channels tried to resolve the matter but lawyers got furious and started abusing Amin and his colleague.A number of lawyers while chanting anti-Geo slogans escorted them to the gate and pushed them out of the premises.
In Rawalpindi, Lawyers of District Bar Association boycotted court proceedings against airing disrespectful programme. They boycotted court proceedings on the call of Punjab Bar Council (PbBC).
Meanwhile, the Lahore Bar Association observed a strike in protest against Geo TV. Majority of lawyers did not appear before courts while some of them appeared in emergent matters. Meanwhile, lawyers of Gujranwala took out a protest procession from district courts to Gondlawala crossing to register their protest. Participants carried banners and placards inscribed demands to take action against Geo channel administration. They also burnt copies of Daily Jang at Gondlawala crossing.In Faisalabad, cable operators held a protest demonstration. The protesters threatened to block Geo TV across Pakistan if Pemra did not cancel its licence.
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