Why Geo’s transmission still suspended,SHC asks govt attorney
Sindh High Court has asked the deputy attorney general as to why the transmission of Geo TV channels is not being restored while all such other channels have been allowed to air their transmission. The court was hearing two identical petitions filed by Independent Media Corporation and Bird (Pvt)Ltd against the ban on transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG TV channels.
The petitioners, who hold landing rights of satellite TV channels Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG in Pakistan, submitted that after the imposition of emergency rule on November 3 at about 5.30 to 6.00pm, all private satellite TV news channels were off-aired/proscribed by the PEMRA throughout the country.
As the matter was taken up by SHC’s division bench comprising Justice Munib Ahmed Khan and Justice Abdul Rehman Farooq Pirzada, the petitioners’ counsel Mohammad Ali Mazhar produced a list of TV channels whose transmission was suspended on November 3 along with the Geo TV Network. He argued that the transmission of all such channels has been restored by PEMRA but Geo TV Network and its channels are still under suspension, which he said is “unjustified, unlawful and a highly discriminatory act.”
The counsel submitted that the petitioners are facing heavy financial losses and at least Rs 1 billion losses have been caused to them just because of unlawful ban on Geo Super. It was argued that the entire nation has been deprived from watching Pak-India Cricket Series.
Mohammad Ali Mazhar prayed the court to issue interim injunction and direct the respondents to lift a ban on the transmission of TV channels of the petitioners. Deputy Attorney General Rizwan Siddiqui and PEMRA’s counsel Kashif Hanif appeared on court notices and submitted that they had received the notices yesterday. They sought time to seek instructions from the authorities concerned and requested the court for 10 days time in this regard.
Petitioners’ counsel strongly opposed 10 days adjournment on the ground of urgency of the matter.
Turning down adjournment request of the respondents’ counsel, the court adjourned the matter till November 20, for hearing a stay application of the petitioners, seeking the lifting of ban on Geo transmission. The court was prayed to declare the suspension/proscription or ban on satellite TV channels as unlawful and without any lawful authority and even against the provisions of PEMRA’s Third Amendment Ordinance-2007 and direct the respondents to immediately lift the ban/suspension or proscription of petitioners’ TV channels – Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG.
The petitioners also prayed to the court to direct PEMRA to issue necessary instructions to all cable TV operators throughout the country to immediately restore the transmission of Geo News, Geo Entertainment, Geo Super and AAG on their cable TV networks without any interruption or interference and till the disposal of petitions, directing the respondents to restore the transmission of the said TV channels.
Source: The News
Date:11/17/2007
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