Darwaish
UPDATE: Nov. 3, 2007: Emergency Declared in Pakistan.
UPDATE: Nov. 4, 2007: Media Gagged. Listen to Geo News here.
In my last post, I mentioned that Electronic Media is under siege and many programs are likely to be banned. But I was not expecting it to happen so soon. Geo News transmission have been completely shut down in most parts of the country and Aaj TVvhas disappeared from my cable at least (WorldCall Cable, Lahore).
I don’t know if Aaj TV has been completely banned or not. It happened while I was watching Dr. Shahid Masood’s Mere Mutabiq. Muslim League (Q)’s own Vice President Kabir Wasti was strongly criticizing General Musharaf, holding him responsible for the judicial crises when suddenly Geo News was shut down. I thought that its a temporary ban and transmission will be back as soon as Dr. Shahid’s program is over but its been several hours now and still no signs of Geo or Aaj coming back on my cable. A friend of mine sent me this SMS from Karachi that Geo News disappeared from most parts of the Sindh around 8 o clock too during Imran Khan’s interview in another program Jawab De.
Geo News website has this to say:
The government has blocked the transmission of the Geo News TV channel across the country due to the reasons best known to them. The viewers calls flooded the Geo office to ask that why the transmission of Geo News TV channel was suddenly suspended when the famous programme, “Meray Mutabik” was going on air.
The calls from the viewers were received from various parts of the country. According to Geo News sources the government has blocked the transmission of the Geo News. Geo transmission was blocked in various parts of Islamabad, Lahore, Hyderabad, Karachi and other areas. The citizens, social and political circles have condemned the ban on transmission of Geo News and they have demanded of the government to immediately lift ban on the transmission of the Geo News and give complete freedom to media in the country.
I am unable to understand why this step has been taken but lets wait and see the official reason which will surely be Afwaje Pakistan ke khilaaf baat ki gaye hai. I suspect the title of Dr. Shahid’s program Idaro Ka Takrao - Fatah Kiski Ho Gi (Clash of Institutions - Who Will be Victorious) must have caused concerns among people sitting in Information Ministry aka Mr. Ghalat Biyani.
Whatever government says but I thought it was a very interesting program and a healthy discussion going on when some wise men decided to shut it down. I hope the ban is lifted soon and government shows some common sense. Like they say in Urdu, Kuch Hosh Ke Nakhun Lo Bhai. Whatever happened to those free media and freedom of press claims :). This is yet another direct attack on freedom of expression and truly a shameful act and should be strongly condemned. I am afraid Dr. Shahid Masood will be in trouble once again for not being afraid, for speaking his mind and saying what is in hearts of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
[quote comment="51615"] his is coming to a violent end as well. These are the last flickers of a dying regime.[/quote]
You got it right this time.
Musharraf is now into Dirty Politics. We have politicians who can do dirty politics far much better than Musharraf.
It is beginning of the end.
What else could you possibly expect from this regime? It’s a miracle that Gen. Musharraf was able to pull of his ‘act’ for so long but like all tyrannical regimes of the world, his is coming to a violent end as well. These are the last flickers of a dying regime.
ASA: Cable Operators are small-time businessmen who have installed their network’s with less than a million rupees each and generally the networks are just catering to 1-2 sectors in Islamabad. If these were big companies like media giants (Dawn, Jang, Nawai-e-Waqt Groups etc), they could have stood up to the government. I think the only solution is that the privateTV channels should get together and start beaming via satellite so we can receieve unhindered directly without fear of government sensorship!
Saad,
A free media critical of the government was Pakistan’s greatest asset… the world knows that the Pakistani nation is alive to the possibilities a truly democratic and progressive Pakistani nation would hold… The fact is that these channels have only been in Pakistan and not anywhere else.
There is no excuse for this behavior by the government … any people who support the government’s move are actually the enemies of Pakistan.
[quote comment="51606"]
Actually its neither. As much as i dislike the guy (Mushaffar i-e), the blame for this cannot be attributed to him alone. Our media has gotten out of hand and has stooped to biased tabloid jouirnalism, clearly taking sides in a quixotic fit of righteousness. Nowhere in the world, America & UK included, can any network give so much coverage to the oppositions POV or bash the govt or country like Geo does here. [/quote]
Saad, I must say your view is not shared by the vast majority of Pakistanis. The fact that our press is critical and has in many instances stood up for independence is a glimmer of hope in an otherwise sad environment.
God forbid our media degenerate into something like the American mainstream media! You obviously do not live in the U.S…since you would have a very different view if you did!
Saad…would you like to enlighten us when was the last time any meida in west as attacked by armed policemen??
and…when was a CJ of America & UK was thrown out of court and house arrested?… please
[quote comment="51551"]I confirm this from F-7 sector in Islamabad. This is sad and ridiculous.[/quote]
Actually its neither. As much as i dislike the guy (Mushaffar i-e), the blame for this cannot be attributed to him alone. Our media has gotten out of hand and has stooped to biased tabloid jouirnalism, clearly taking sides in a quixotic fit of righteousness. Nowhere in the world, America & UK included, can any network give so much coverage to the oppositions POV or bash the govt or country like Geo does here. Its high time these hacks were stopped. If you think i am taking a side, just stop to think for a second that their transmission goes to 40+ countries…what do you think they would think when sensationalists like Kamran Khan bellow hoarsly ‘khuda ka wasta hai apnay aap ko bachain’.
Every country has dirty laundry…you dont air it in public. We can all go beady eyed and say that principally the media should be free. Its not the case anywhere in the world, and you know why? Its because the media is run by people, hence not perfect. Giving carte blanche to an imperfect entity results in the kind of mass hysteria these hacks have created. Tabloids, the lot of them. No regard for our international image or values (they show cadavers and severed heads without prior warning, traumatizing younger viewers and desensitizing them in the process)
So all you proponents of free media, get off your high horse and smell the coffee, it smells of hypocrisy
Rant over
Its really strange what a group of sycophants can do to someone. 7 years ago I thought Musharraf was an outspoken and dynamic man. Always used to silence fiery questioning (even from international media) by his impropmtu reasoning.
Sad that now hes comprehensibly made a fool out of himself.