SAMC, SAFMA want Geo, ARY back on air
* Call closure of TV channels ‘economic murder of journalists’
LAHORE: The South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) have resented pulling two Pakistani television channels, Geo News and ARY One World, off air and asked President General Pervez Musharraf and the emir of the United Arab Emirates to allow the two stations to resume broadcasting.
“This is outrageous that having silenced Geo TV and ARY One World in Pakistan, General Musharraf has now pressured the Dubai authorities to suspend the two stations,” said SAMC Chairman N Ram, Secretary General Najam Sethi, Media Commission Pakistan Chairman IA Rehman, SAFMA President Laxman Gunesekera and Secretary General Imtiaz Alam in a joint statement.
‘Economic murder’: Extending support to the staff of the two stations, they dubbed shutting down of Geo News and ARY One World as the economic murder of hundreds of journalists and other staff.
“We call on President General Pervez Musharraf to immediately rescind this decision, which is contrary to free enterprise and the freedom to report the news,” they said.
Released by SAMC Regional Coordinator Husain Naqi, the statement noted with alarm the rapidly deteriorating environment of freedom of expression and freedom of press in Pakistan.
Source: Daily Times
Date:11/20/2007
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