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.
Unbelieveable!! Musharaff, had tried to bulldoze the another pillar of the sytem.
Shameful behave with the chief justice, Attack on News media offices, shelling on the protestors.. … have earned shame on the part of the country
This also demonstrates that Millitants ruler have no rational thinking
The issue in Pakistan is that army is the supreme institution.Hence we don’t have the rule of law, but the rule of the army. Musharraf has violated the constitution by declaring the Chief Justice (CJP) non-functional. There is no such provision in the constitution. He is also in contempt of court for summoning the CJP, meeting him in army uniform and then ordering ISI to raid his office. Time has come to make Pakistan a modern, progressive democratic state, free from the shackles of army rule.
The major issue is not Musharaf’s abuse of power but the totalitarianism of the Pakistan’s military rulers i.e.the generals who rule the country in Pakistan. Abraham Lincoln said “Government of the people,by the people,for the people”, unfortunately for the powerless helpless people of Pakistan the message from Pakistan Army is clear: “Government of the generals, by the generals for the generals”.
Dr. Shahid Masood is a miser who makes normal news look entertaining… well that is what he is supposed to do i guess.
But what has to be very seriously taken is that every News paper and news agency has a political policy and all the news presented are skewed to represent the view of the Financer of the News publisher.
Another point here is that all news reporters are free lance and take money from the person who is trying to put the news across and when objected ligitimize things saying that they are free to say what ever they want…
Why do you think only the opposition speaks on the media and never the govt, who has let them free in this country.
Media is commercial and takes money to do all this and This is their True Face
>>>adonis…no one is trying to overthrow anyone for the common good. Every man for himself. Having opened my eyes during Zia ul Haq’s era, i know for a fact this is as good as its gets for us. Our civilian leadership botched it up over and over again, leading us to near bankruptcy. Although this is no defence of Musharraf’s rule, name one alternative. Go on, please…Who comes in when he goes?
>>>Sabahat…good points well made. Tho please note that murder, rape, carnage happen everywhere, and image does matter, for the world and for our own esteem. We know our rulers are crocked, we know our people behaved worse than animals, but for these people to become our identity to the world outside is unacceptable. You and i are know we are better than that, but we like to type from the sidelines…
>>>Everyone
Pakistan handled Kashmir earthquake fiasco much much better than the US did Katrina, the Army played a leading role (i know, i went there). Yet the media even then was busy Army bashing. This is biased journalism, and very unfair.
I for one am running out of things to be proud of, i am sure you guys are too. Lets spare a few things like the National image and yes even the much maligned Army. A polar media serves no good. Tell the truth (not the current version, because its one sided. The chief justice is no sacred cow and Mush does not have horns and a trident), but keep it inside, seperate the feeds if you have to. No-one is going to come and help you out of a minor political jumble made major. Look at Darfur and Zimbabwe (places with real problems), the world is silent. There is no moral victory in telling everyone your house sucks and your dad beats your mom