Sportsmen, civil society protest Geo Super ban
Obaid Abrar Khan
RAWALPINDI: Cricket teams and clubs of the city as well as civil society groups Friday staged protests in front of the Jang building against restrictions on Geo Super and youth channel, Aag.
Members of sixteen sports clubs including New Pindi Gymkhana Cricket Club, West Indies Cricket Club, Anwar Cricket Club, Victory Cricket Club, Medicos Cricket Club, Haydri Cricket Club, Zahir Shah Cricket Club, Eleven Star Cricket Club, Diamond Cricket Club, Shaheen Cricket Club, Abbasi Kahota Cricket Club, Pak-China Cricket Club, United Youth Cricket Club, Liaquat Cricket Club, Shalimar Cricket Club and Crescent Cricket Club participated in the protest.
Addressing protesters, President Civil Society Pakistan, Azhar Mir, said the government should lift the ban on Geo Super as soon as possible and allow the channel to go on air from Pakistan. “Geo has the full support of civil society and we are always there to come out on the roads to protest,” he added.
President New Pindi Gymkhana Club, Sanobar Gul, said it was shameful that the government had imposed a ban on Geo Super. He said Geo Super was the only sports channel in the country and was supporting sports activities. “The government should lift ban on Geo Super, otherwise all sportsmen will come out in protest,” he said.
Malik Irfan from Eleven Star Club said, “Instead of appreciating Geo Super for encouraging sports activities the government has imposed ban on it. The government should lift the ban,” he added.
Zahir Shah Cricket Club coach, Sardar Mehmood, said that the government was imposing its power on the media and imposing bans on channels. “Geo Super was showing healthy activities and it was the channel of sports lovers,” he lamented.
Director Bahria Sports Waseem Ahmed said Geo Super was showing sports activities on the international, national and domestic level and was the favourite television channel but the government had declared it a security risk, which was shameful.
Resident Editor Daily Jang, Hanif Khalid, thanked the participants for their support. He said that Jang Group had faced very difficult times in almost every government’s tenure because the group was committed to the truth. “We are not ready to compromise because we are on the right path,” he added.
Resident Manager Jang Group, Aziz Memon, said Pemra had given licences to 84 channels and landing rights to 35 channels. “Many channels are working from India but only Geo Super is a security risk,” he said, adding that the government should lift the ban on Geo Super and allow it to go on air from Pakistan, which is its right. He also thanked the participants for their support.
Source: The News
Date:5/28/2011
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