By Darwaish
Another unfortunate development of the day and I am unable to understand who is advising government of making such foolish decisions.
It seems now that the Government of Pakistan has banned Kamran Khan Show as yet another casualty in the ongoing saga of the Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) removal from office. Geo has just made it public and Kamran Khan appeared on Geo News just a few moments ago and apologized to viewers that he would not be able to present his show due to this ban (audio of what he said, here).
It was Kamran Khan Show in which Mr Wasi Zafar’s misbehavior on VOA was reported (video of that program here). He was also the host of Geo’s live transmission which showed and commented on the misbehavior with Chief Justice of Pakistan and his family last Monday. I guess Kamran Khan has finally paid the price of speaking the truth and his efforts to present facts to the people of Pakistan.
GEO TV website has this information on how the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned this show:
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has imposed ban on “Aaj Kamran Khan Key Sath”, the famous programme of Geo Television Network.
“Aaj Kamran Khan Key Sath” has been stopped as the government has imposed ban on it, said the spokesman of the Geo Television Network.
It was regretted at 11:05 PM, when this programme starts daily, that the programme could not be aired due to government ban.
Reacting to the ban on this programme, Kamran Khan, the host of the programme, condemned the government action and said that there was no other agenda of the said programme except making people aware of real facts and correct analysis.
This is a direct attack on freedom of press and freedom of expression. Looks like we will now see more bans if Pakistani Media didn’t cooperate with the government. I am also wondering what will happen to the Ansaar Abbasi now. We should all condemn this unjust action? But HOW?
Here are two samples of video clips from the Kamran Khan Show related to this issue.
Here is GEO’s own report on the attack on its office.
Message from Altaf Hussain on attack on GEO office.
Hamid Mir interviews Gen. Musharraf on the attack.
Important
A third video has been added to this post above. It is a video of GEO’s own report of attacks on its offices. Please scroll up (to end of post) and click on the arrow in the screen.
As others have already been reporting here, the TV studios of GEO TV were attacked by police today.
According to the GEO TV website:
Also, you may see a video report of this incident from IBN here.
The only damage done to any public property in today’s protest in Islamabad was done by the police when they stormed Geo’s office and broke its doors and windows without any apparent reason.
This is what Mr. Hmaid Mir told Indian TV channle CNN IBN live when Geo TV’s office was being attacked and one policeman was threatening him to put down the phone.
“Police entered our newsroom and started destroying computers, desks everything. They want us to stop our transmission. They are beating my colleagues. One policeman is standing in front of me right now and is threatening me, ordering me to hang up the phone.
We have been transmitting visuals of police beating women and children outside the Pakistan Supreme Court and Parliament so the police and the government are upset with us. They cut off our phone and Internet lines. The police is trying to arrest us.”
There is a saying in Hindi -” Vinashakale Viparit Buddhi”. ( One loses sense of right and wrong just before self-destruction). One wonders if Gen Mushrraf is going on the same path.
The above link wasn’t working for me so i posted this one.
Pakistani riot police stormed a private television channel’s offices and tear-gassed employees after its editors refused to stop broadcasting pictures of protests in Islamabad over moves to sack the country’s top judge.
Geo News Bureau Chief Hamid Mir said on television that police broke windows, scuffled with staff and released teargas in the office, as the hearing against Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary resumed in the nearby Supreme Court.
“They tried to drag me out,” Mir said. “They’re demanding a camera installed on the roof should be removed.”
The channel was able to broadcast live pictures of the helmeted police carrying shields and batons bursting into the channel’s building, and Geo vehicles parked outside were damaged.
Transmissions from the rooftop ended a short time later.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP50923.h tm
The above link wasn’t working for me so i posted this one.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP50923.h tm
First judiciary, now press..who’s next? none! parliament already subdued. Congratz to Army and Mushi! all institutions defeated successfully..lets celebrate the conquest.
Musharraf has just issued a statement condemning the action and said that the persons responsibile will be dealt with sternly and that Geo will be compensated.
But at this point, I want to see actions, not words.