Geo asked not to air programmes on judges | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Geo asked not to air programmes on judges

ISLAMABAD: The most popular television channel in Pakistan, Geo Television Network, has been asked not to air any programme on the issue of the reinstatement of the deposed judges and not to make a mention in this regard.

Geo TV, which telecasts its programme from Dubai, has been formally intimated in this regard. It merits a mention here that Geo TV has been airing comprehensive debates and special news bulletins to inform its viewers about the removal of the superior courts judges and the treatment meted out to them. These transmissions started on March 9, 2007 when Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was deposed.

Justice Chaudhry was later reinstated by the Supreme Court full bench but he was again deposed on November 3, 2007 when emergency was imposed by then COAS and the president along with a number of other judges and put under house arrest.

In this backdrop, the lawyers, media, civil society organisations and some political parties launched a countrywide protest movement. The Geo TV got immense publicity for its unbiased programmes on the movement and this role of the television network was appreciated all over the world. On one occasion, the Geo office in Islamabad was ransacked and its employees were manhandled.

It is learnt that the Geo management has been conveyed about the government’s annoyance with the favourite programmes of the television including ‘Meray Mutabiq’ of Dr Shahid Masood, ‘Capital Talk’ of Hamid Mir,’Ham Sub Umeed Say Hain’, and debates including Ansar Abbasi and four other journalists. Not only this, the government quarters have also expressed their dissatisfaction over reporting by correspondents and analysts of ‘The News’ and ‘Jang’.
Source: The News
Date:5/12/2008