Allegations on ISI: Defence Ministry to move against Geo in PEMRA

[Durrak]

.

 

[fawwaxs]

This is pretty clear that HM is being used for someone else's agenda but the best part is Geo being badly exposed!!

 

[AUz]

Don't make any mistake...

Geo and Shareefs are in one boat.

Geo TV did massive propaganda before elections to give Shareefs a political advantage. Shareefs will/have returned the favor too....

Hopefully, Geo is shut down through out Pakistan.

 

[Edevelop]

Defence minister sends Pemra reference against Geo TV

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Defence approved and sent on Tuesday a reference to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) regarding Geo TV’s allegations against the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Express News reported.

The defence secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Asif Yasin Malik had sent a strong-worded and stern reference to defence minister Khwaja Asif, who then approved it to send forward to Pemra.

Asif himself was under fire a few days ago for his remarks against former president Gen. (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

The reference alleges that Geo TV has violated the code of conduct set by Pemra, and seeks the immediate suspension of the channel’s licence. A cancellation of the licence has been sought upon completion of the investigation into the matter.

The following is the text of the reference obtained by The Express Tribune:

Defence minister sends Pemra reference against Geo TV – The Express Tribune

 

[BATMAN]

Following Pervez Musharraf foot steps, while he is facing references for doing same.
This is called nature's strike.

 

[Sam Manekshaw]

haha lol this is why I hate auto word completion

Toh off kardo bhai....

 

[VCheng]

...........
The following is the text of the reference obtained by The Express Tribune:

Defence minister sends Pemra reference against Geo TV – The Express Tribune

So these are relevant excerpts of the relevant PEMRA rules that have been quoted as the basis for the petition. Of course the authorities will decide, but an initial reading indicates that the petitioner has a high standard to meet to merit cancellation. This complaint should fail on lack of merit.

===================================


15. Programms and advertisement content.- (1) The contents of the programmes and advertisements which are broadcast or distributed by the broadcast media or distribution service operator, shall conform to the provisions of section 20 of the Ordinance, these rules, the code set out in the Schedule-A and terms and conditions of the licence.

(2) The programmes shall also conform to the provisions of the Motion Pictures Ordinance, 1979 (XLIII of 1979), the rules and code of conduct made thereunder, whereas the advertisements shall also conform to the TV Code of Advertising Standards and Practices in Pakistan and Advertisement Code issued by the Authority.

(3) During a regular programme a continuous break for advertising shall not exceed three minutes and duration between two such successive breaks shall not be less than fifteen minutes.

(4) The licensee shall maintain a record and register of the programmes being broadcast or distributed by him and shall, for a period of not less than forty-five days, preserve such programmes.

(c) contains an abusive comment that, when taken in context, tends to or is likely to expose an individual or a group or class of individuals to hatred or contempt on the basis of race or caste, national, ethnic or linguistic origin, colour or religion or sect, sex, sexual orientation, age or mental or physical disability;


(g) contains aspersions against the Judiciary and integrity of the Armed Forces of Pakistan;


(j) brings into contempt Pakistan or its people or tends to undermine its integrity or solidarity as an independent and sovereign country;

20. Terms and conditions of licence.- A person who is issued a licence under this Ordinance shall-

(a) ensure preservation of the sovereignty, security and integrity of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

(b) ensure preservation of the national, cultural, social and religious values and the principles of public policy as enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan;

(c) ensure that all programmes and advertisements do not contain or encourage violence, terrorism, racial, ethnic or religious discrimination, sectarianism, extremism, militancy, hatred, pornography, obscenity, vulgarity or other material offensive to commonly accepted standards of decency;

27. Prohibition of broadcast media or distribution service operation:- The Authority shall by order in writing, giving reasons therefore, prohibit any broadcast media or distribution service operator from –

(a) broadcasting or re-broadcasting or distributing any programme or advertisement if it is of the opinion that such particular programme or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan or is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility or endangers national security or is pornographic, obscene or vulgar or is offensive to the commonly accepted standards of decency; or

(b) engaging in any practice or act which amounts to abuse of media power by way of harming the legitimate interests of another licensee or willfully causing damage to any other person.


(d) comply with rules made under this Ordinance;

(e) broadcast, if permissible under the terms of its licence, programmes in the public interest specified by the Federal Government or the Authority in the manner indicated by the Government or, as the case may be, the Authority, provided that the duration of such mandatory programmes do not exceed ten per cent of the total duration of broadcast or operation by a station in twenty-four hours except if, by its own volition, a station chooses to broadcast such content for a longer duration;

(f) comply with the codes of programmes and advertisements approved by the Authority and appoint an in-house monitoring committee, under intimation to the Authority, to ensure compliance of the Code;

(g) not broadcast or distribute any programme or advertisement in violation of copyright or other property right;

(h) obtain NOC from Authority before import of any transmitting apparatus for broadcasting, distribution or teleporting operation; and

(i) not sell, transfer or assign any of the rights conferred by the licence without prior written permission of the Authority

 

[iPhone]

PEMRA won't cancel Geo news network's license. Geo will continue to broadcast but you'll see their tone would have changed quiet a lot in the coming few days, it has changed some already.

That's a good thing. With this allegation Geo may have bitten more than they could chew. They esp. Weren't counting on the backlash that they recieved from their peers in the same field. Other news networks (express, ARY, dawn and duniya) and papers shred them to pieces over this.

What's really encouraging is that Pakistanis overall stood up against Geo and in favor of PA on social media. That, despite all the propaganda against Pak army from the west, the usual suspect India and now from inside Pakistan, is saying a lot about where Pakistanis stand in their loyalty toward Pakistan army.

Lastly and more importantly, When it comes to reigning in the so called free press, Pakistan will eventually apply the USA format of free press and reporting like many other countries have so successfully done, India is a close example.

Free press and free media caused a huge backlash against the US govt and the armed forces during the Vietnam war. Learning from that, now free reporting only is about finding dirty politicians, raising hue about financial and healthcare system etc. But when it comes to the foreign policy, reporting about wars, the US media must must tow the State line and is forbidden to deviate from it. They can, however, dig up dirt on old wars of yester years, the Cold War, Vietnam, the gulf etc and do some reporting on those for those policies aren't active.

Pakistan will realize the same, if hasn't already, that if "not closely supervised" media and press will cost them wars and foreign policies. Operation in Swat and the Red Mosque are a prime example of that, when unsupervised reporting caused a backlash against the army and the state.

This should be the last straw. There are some domestic wars to be faught in the near future. Before going to those, Pak must iron out these kinks if it's to stand a chance in those wars.

 

[MM_Haider]

When Geo was speaking against ISI, they knew the price they had to pay. I sure am this won't be a surprise for Geo and Jang Group.

 

[iPhone]

When Geo was speaking against ISI, they knew the price they had to pay. I sure am this won't be a surprise for Geo and Jang Group.

I doubt it, they were probably counting on the moral support from other channels and the rest of journalist community. When it backfired and no one came to their rescue, they changed their tone.

 

[Pakistanisage]

When they don't do their Job you are not Happy , and When they do their Job you are still not Happy .. what is your Problem ?

Maybe we need to run another campaign to ask PDF to Permanently ban this Obnoxious member from PDF...

 

[Panther 57]

This is pretty clear that HM is being used for someone else's agenda but the best part is Geo being badly exposed!!

He is not being used free of cost. Gets a heavy sum to do what he is doing.

 

[FNFAL]

This action may be translated as a direct attack on the free press of a nation.Not a very wise move considering that of late Pakistan is re-building its global image
Also on the local front, journalism will take a hit when reported by such institutions in the future.
Weigh the pros and cons .

 

[Rashid Mahmood]

Well, a proper investigation. I was in Karachi at the time. As easy as it seems, we simply should not jump to conclusions. I think Geo did something very wrong by jumping on the issue but a man was shot with murderous intent, that should be factored in. The military was dignified, asking for investigations and I believe it still is. Yet, the response I see here is just asking for blood.

They didn't jump to conclusions at all.
Within hours of the attack on HM, Geo launched a direct attack on ISI with DG ISI being labelled as the responsible person.
This was pre-planned campaign by the Jang group, not just jumping to a "conclusion".

Probably the whole event was staged, but lacked proper planning:
- HM be called to Karachi by Jang group,
- A rental car to pick him up with no proper security cover, , where if his life was at risk, a bullet-proof car /proper security should have been arranged.
- Attack on the main road with orders "Not to Kill", target killers do not leave the victim until they ensure that he is dead.
- Car parked in the hospital, instead of being taken over by the Police. Why ?
- Still no FIR has been lodged against DG ISI as he was the first person to be blamed.
- Driver & security Guard not even injured. Why were they not injured.
- The letter by Home Dept Punjab was received earlier. Why this letter was not highlighted.

 

[Panther 57]

- Attack on the main road with orders "Not to Kill", target killers do not leave the victim until they ensure that he is dead.

They never miss. And how come all the bullets are in lower part. Certainly HM must not have opted for this option, he was used as guinea pig. But this does not absolve him from his involvement in anti state, anti PA and anti ISI activities.

PA should have taken this case of banning GEO long ago, they have given more then enough time to them to b.tch. They should have initiated a case when Gen Pasha gave his statement on journalist. I am sure ISI has a long list on each one of them. They should make it public with proof and let nation know, who is friend and foe.