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.
gov loose.
First it was PEMRA and now SCP judges are also taking on media. Javed Iqbal and Nawaz Abbasi (SCP Judges) strongly criticized TV channels for doing talk shows about the SC judgement about Musharaff\’s uniform.
I think Pakistani media will be in more serious trouble in coming weeks and months.
R/sir
My words may be less or more for those people who have the power to govern the Government but it will be best if you will take serious notice against all the ministers and also government servants.
I Hope that you will also think for our Sindh Province because it is going to get rust in the other districts except Karachi these rusts are so much harmful for us so please take an action against them.
In the sindh mostly the people are living hand to mouth life due to poverty. even educational instutions are full of our locl political parties so due to that purpose we can not get education from colleges or univerisities the corruption is free from all the laws every one understand that to take bribe is my virtue
Some of the areas are those where still today no one has been provided the facilities as if they are not the residient of the Pakistan.
All the things have been too much dear that only the Rich man can purchase if there are the things to purchased by the poor are only the impurified things.
some of the shop keepers have their own rates
they donot follow the lists. A thing its cost is noly 5 rupees but after the budget it is to be sold out in 10 rupees and when the reason is to be asked they say that 2 rupees of Government tax and 3 rupees of our profit
it is only for their own lust.
Teachers of the institutions are going to be terminated from their schools and colleges and on their posts some of other who are not able to teach the students they are teaching.
Roads and sports grounds are cracked and the saverage system goes in to the homes of people.
Inflation and poverty and terrorisim have establish their net here in the Sindh every day that network is spreading day by day and people are going to die by these
diasastars . Basic needs of every pakistani are Pure water gas and electricity , education , work, and other institutions we could not have got still today .if the institutions are then donot keep value to solve the problems , can not be able to help the people.so the in the Government hospitals the patients are like as the goats and no one comes to care for them The medicines are not available the police is corrupt and on the Bakers the things we use in daily life they are going to sell their things not according to the shops they are saying that their is difference between the quality.
Always no any one is going out from his house after the sun is to be set out
Media does not write and show real criminals and not take the serious interviews from the leadres and our politicians and from those who live in the Pakistan
Hotels are every where our jobless pubilic and students and the wanderer people are wasting their time in the hotels or in the games centres
the body selling is the profession and drinking wine is the duty and killing people is the fight and corruption is our purpose the development is to rout out the education and
snatching the rights from the public
rich has always each and every thing but poor has always nothing that is in our minds that should not be done with poor
job are not availale only the landlord and feudollords and the police and some unsincere politician are cutting our heads
the good programmes are not shown to the public
electricity is always in load shedding the theft of the electricity is the product produced by the it self wapda to fill the pockets.
they are taking monthly from these people . A rich man or a officor or the leader or the landlord they are paying bills but the bill comes according to their wish
in the house of poor we can not imagine that where from he will pay.
Bus stands are not every bus comes and stops any where as that is bus stop there is traffic signal and also the traffic police they are appearing when then they want to get their money from the public and teasing the public and from public the officors and landlord are not following these rules.
the justice is not available here only the fake cases are full of records Police, Advocate, judge are the involved to make false case and to punish and are hanging them who are innocent people the NGO,s , WHO, and other instituions are not performing very well . day by day pollution and population and the honor killing is increasing .no one is ready to control on it .
we need the free leaders free media free justice and free democracy free education free jobs free plots free basic rights
I hope that my words keep no importance but these words can change the pakistan
ABC channel you must publish my words because these are the words of pakistatni nation so Please send this email to every leader of pakistan every channel of pakistan
every news paper every court of pakistan every every assembly of pakstan
I hope that you will do that work we shall pray for you if I heard or saw my words by any pakistani channel or newspaper
There was partial crackdown on media once again today. Still no geo,aaj and ary in some parts of Islamabad. Cable operators took off news channels from some parts of Sindh, replaced by music and disco channels. That is disgusting and shameful really.
PEMRA is in action again and warned media to be careful in their live coverage and coverage of President’s two offices case.
SC decision on Mushy future is coming today at 2:15 pm. Fingers crossed. I hope they give a verdict that stops military intervention in politics forever. This should end now. enough is enough.
Are these channels representing Pakistan and our region or is it
a foreign channels showing their segments in our skin.?? i.g. why there is never a detailed series of Indus valley civilisation which is territorially situated within Pakistan, defending Pakistani authentic food out side in Europe or America, is not it
a shame that the whole world talks only of India and her culture, when they talk about the origins of navigation, they say
it started in river sind, thats it , where is river sind, never. etc.
Pakistan’s channels are not at all on their utmost, quality of the segments are very low, stupid dramas, horrible Urdu, 80% english mixed,subjects propogandists, political immaturity,of course western “style”, but unfortunately Azadi “pacch” nehien
rehi hey, as they
Did anyone see the great debate on Geo? Govt. lawyer Ahmed Qusuri used so much abusive language that I can’t believe he is a barrister. People get ready to face Wasi Zafar Part II. lol