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.
plz muje koi geo dekhdo
slaam shahid bhaai hum logh aap ki batyein sunnye ko tras gye hain aap kab wapas arahye hoo!
i think yah sader sahab.
apni aap calarahay hai wo jo chahay gay wahi huga ????????? hum kat putli hai
Can anyone tell me when Geo will be back? Its been too long and Musharraf is not even in uniform anymore so what is holding them from bringing Geo back?
Surely, they need every channel back well before the elections.
GEO is only tv channal in Pakistan through which all Pakistanies get to know what is happenning in politics in Pakistan from Goverment side as well as opsition side. I never believe if GEO Has ever been irresponsible by broadcasting news and other political debats GEO only brings in views or comments of our leaders, it does not buy people to give comments against the goverment its comments of pakistani leaders which they broadcast and this is tru way of serving nation. By bloking the Geo`s transmission Pakistani Goverment has suffocated the whole nation. GEO is like a faimly member to us who provide us with the news and views of Pakistani leader to understand what our leader are doing with the FATE of this nation. STRONGLY protesting to hte goverment we want Our GEO and Dr. Shahid sahib back immidiatly back who are the True Servant of Pakistani Nation.
Thank you. Zulfiqar Ali (London)
Geo is now being singled out just like the judiciary. All the politicians seems to have agreed on putting judges issue aside and go on with elections (selection that is). No point in participating in this selection drama.
ARY, after giving up to govt. demands, is back on air. But its showing news in a very friendly manner. Very disappointing that we have gone back 10 years both in case of Judiciary and Media.
Since GEO transmission has been shut down, it seems to be the complete black out of NEWS from Pakistan. I feel so bad and request to the Government to please allow GEO and other channels to be on air again.
Here I will ask the GEO management to please answer some of my questions if you feel like to be. Though criticism is the right of every person on the government’s wrong policies, but some of the good steps taken by any government should be appreciated too.
I would like to bring under your kind notice the excellent step of the past governments of Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. Do you remember when Mian sahib came into power 2nd time and he opened the prim minister debt relief fund and asked the nation to send money, and I remember the money was sent by the whole nation specially non resident Pakistanis in that account. What happened to that money?
And Mian sahib motivated the Pakistani Nation to open the dollar account in the country, and what happened to that account when atomic blast accoured and Mian sahib announced the emergency at that time. All those accounts were frozen and we got only rupees instead of dollars with the rate announced by Mian sahibs regime. Do you want us to believe Mian sahib again?
When Benazir came in power 2nd time Mr. zardari was famous as Mr. 10% and later they shifted lot of money in Swiss accounts. She and her husband were involved in money laundering. Till now 13 million $ are frozen by Swiss government, and criminal never leave any prove behind them, and no one will be able to catch them except Almighty Allah. Do you want us to believe them again?
But we as a Nation can avoid them not to let them elect again and let them and their group not to loot the Nation again.
Now I would like to ask GEO management, why they do not motivate the intellectuals of the nation to provide the honest leadership. Why your channels was interview only few faces always. Are they the future of Pakistan?. By name I can count those faces whom I have seen in your channel talking again and again and they never gave us the way out of this situation.
I hope when you will be on-air again, as media you will be able to hunt the intellectuals who can lead the country towards the welfare state, not the feudal lords property.
I wish you the best of luck.
I really regret to know the shutting down of Geo TV and ARY one world. Who is responsible for all this? Off course the political parties not the military. Because they have no idea how to run the country. Twice fully powered Mian Nawaz sharif just looted us and gone, and the same with BB. May I put some responsibility on media’s shoulders too? It is correct that media should work under free atmosphere, and president claim the freedom was given to the media by him, but media and specially programs hosted by Hamid Mir and Dr Shahid and the Kashif Abbasi and some others, were exploding the matters, for the nation for whom it is too early era to digest such kind of hard propaganda. I never saw BBC or CNN or any other free media exploding in same way like our channels were doing. The worst program ever I have seen (Grand Debate), can be taken as an example. I will ask who has given them the rights to arrange such nonsense debate, where the people from opposition and from the government were firing the dirty language on each other. It was being watched all over the world and we Pakistanis were feeling embracement. Do you think these channels were serving Pakistan by doing this? I felt that some foreign powers are paying them to disgrace Pakistan and the people of Pakistan, and they were serving the cause so smoothly. Now tell me what did they get after doing all this propaganda? Nothing but the OFF AIR and the jobs of poor employees of these channels in danger. They have to please think and change the aptitude, and do the same propaganda. Do criticize anyone but not with hot pipers and salt mixed with it. I wish them the best of luck.
Khaled