Geo's back! | Geo TV shuts down!

[Interceptor]

I heard Aitzaz Ahsan on the tube and couldnt believe my ears. Have all intellectuals/ danishwar ( as in Urdu) gone mad! If Aitzaz Ahsan can predict Martial Law why then he goes ahead and tries to get Musharraf disqualified?? How will martial law help the cause of Democarcy or the Constitution?? I conclude from this that politicians in general and Aitzaz Ahsan in particular don't want the transition to democracy, instead they all thrive in Martial Law. I hope all of this scum rots in hell as these are enemies of Democracy and enemies of the people of Pakistan.

Now about TV ban. :

Democracy for this country was fought by the lawyers community, niaz you should be thankful for their efforts to atleast fight even bigger evils that could have taken the oath of dictatorship. I am with Aitzaz Ahsan all the way, he has fought for every Pakistanis democratic right.

He predicted the marshal law on the basis that he was threatend by the pro musharraf gang that there will be an "emergancy-plus" said by the Chaudri and Sheiks.

Because Asif was put in jail by Nawaz Sharif; Zardari didnot want to continue funding the enterprize using his foreign accounts due to the fear that these funds may be traced back to him. This had earlier happened with the 18,000 UK Pounds necklace purchased by Benazir at the Harrods and paid from the Swiss account, which resulted in BB's presecution in the Swiss Courts. Newspaper was closed down, the Radio Asia and the PakistanTV channel sold out. TV was purchased by Abdur Razak Yaqub, a Dubai based Gold Trader and close friend of BB and renamed ARY. ARY has therefore always been partial towards PPP.

No Niaz ARY is pro MQM, they have never parted with the PPP, and "Abdur Razak Yaqub" from whom I have bought some cold in Dubia, is a Muhajir with respect, he will never allow the ARY to speak for the PPP the channel utterly hates the PPP.

Two of their anchors, Hamid Mir and Dr Maqsoood Ahmad have been very highly critical of Musharraf. Hamid Mir in particular is responsible for making a hero of the Lal Masjid mob. TV anchors emphasize on a single piece of news by showing the same picture over and over, thus giving undue publicity to a minor event. A recent example is a photograph where a plain clothes policeman is seen grabing a female protester and pushing her into a police van. Pray tell me, if govt bans a protest and women insist on breaking it; what remedy does any law enforcing agency has except to arrest the protesters by force. I myself have been guilty of blocking Oxford Street during a Ban the Bomb protest during the Sixties by sitting in the middle of the Oxford Street. All of us which included many female students were uncermoniusly rounded up, taken to the police station and then let go after a couple of hours without being charged. But then I was a young hot headed socialist.

"Lal Masjid mob" was created by Ijazul Haq son of traitor "Zia" he released Ghazi every time he was caught with weapons and transfered the ISPR who caught him in several times. That mob was created by musharraf to get more money out of the US and add the banner that musharraf is fighting extremism.

Why are you crizizing the media for showing something that the government is unlawfully doing, the constitution has been suspended and they are protesting against this action. By all means you say you were released a few hours later, these activist are jailed under no trail, if a protestor in Britians gets beatan up the media strangles the government for doing little regardless of what the protest was about. The Quaid himself said it is the duty of the media to show what the government does.

And yet you niaz still agree on the Marshal law.

Conclusion:

Notwithstanding all of the above; whatever the government ( Musharraf ) did is wrong. One must have the tolerance to accept criticism even though it is unfair and over the limit. You cannot stop what people think by blacking out the news channels.

Well niaz the Musharraf came in power via a coup over the government, he placed a dictatorship, it is but fair that he is questioned, after all he doesn't do many public appearances and most of his lotas do the talking until now.

What Musharraf has done is invited more hatered from the people to come out, when the news channals were on air, people didn't come out as in large numbers because the media was covering the entire event, and later this was banned by the Gov, no more live coverage even then the media showed lots of bulitins to overcome this ban. However, now its a complete different story, this time the people will come out and protest and their doing so as we speak. The government has created the perfect conditions for a struggle and revival of democracy.

I agree with Aitzaz Ahsan on one point only, that Mushy is a defeated general. However, I repeat my assertion that Pakistani politicians are willing to shoot themselves in both the feet if it means that Musharraf will get hurt in one foot. IMO this is crazy.

Only on one point that is increadible.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Asim, Sam and Bhangra -

You cannot claim that "freedom and free speech" are under a bigger threat from the closure of a couple of TV stations, than they would be under the threat of violent, barbaric extremism.

How can all these people silently acquiesce to what is an existential threat to Pakistan from the Taliban, with hundreds of people dying in their attacks - but suddenly decide that their "freedom' is under attack when the TV goes off?

William Wallace would be ashamed. He at least stood for freedom in the face of the true threat - that of his people's, and his nations existence. I'll respect these hypocrites when they take out some protests against the Taliban.

That said, I'm not suggesting that the closure is a good thing - just that everyones priorities are screwed up if this is considered "protestable" but the extremist threat is not.

 

[Always Neutral]

Dubai reviewing decision on channels -DAWN - Top Stories; November 18, 2007

Dubai reviewing decision on channels

DUBAI, Nov 17: Media authorities in Dubai said on Saturday they were considering whether to allow two leading private Pakistani news channels to resume broadcasting after shutting them down the day before.

“We are in contact with them... to see if there is a possibility to (allow them to) resume” broadcasting, Amina Rustamani, head of Dubai’s media watchdog told AFP.

The two networks, Geo and ARYOne, said on Saturday they were shut down on Friday night amid pressure from Pakistan’s military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf.

Geo and ARYOne had been blacked out on cable in Pakistan since November 3, when Gen Musharraf imposed a state of emergency, but had still been available on satellite and the Internet until Friday night when they were fully closed.

Both channels said the Pakistani government had been pushing them to stop showing their political talk shows.

Mr Rustamani said the channels had long been operating out of Dubai Media City, a free zone where scores of regional and international news organisations are based.—AFP

 

[Spring Onion]

Agno i agree with you as i had quoted earlier


"It is not the fact of liberty but the way in which liberty is exercised that ultimately determines whether liberty itself survives." (Dorthy Thompson)

Now coming to this quote let me say we need to answer following questions

A life without freedom is as good as death, but what is freedom? Am I free if I am able to do as I please without any dictation? And if the answer is yes, then does the existence of law and regulation mean that I am not free? And if the answer is no, then considering the fact that law is always binding, does that mean that even if I am free, I can still not do all that I please? What is freedom? The first important realisation is that freedom is not merely a physical condition, in fact it is actually a state of mind – a condition of the spirit: the realisation of the choices available, and the opportunity to choose from them.

While the latter relates to physical freedom and may be analysed with simplicity, it is the realisation part that is most complex and distorted. What are the choices available to us? In order to choose without dictation, we need to be fully aware of our choices. This is one of the most important roles that the institution of media has to play in a country.
It is the job of the media to create awareness as to what choices exist. In a complex environment, it goes without saying that the choices that exist are contradictory in nature. Then how does that media fully play its role? The only way to present all choices is to do so with equality, without making any choice seem better or worse than the others – by being as neutral as possible. So logically, we may claim that if all choices are represented fairly, and then individuals have a sovereign right over what they want to choose, we have achieved a state of freedom. But what if all the choices are not represented equally? What if the media takes it upon itself to distort the choices in such a way that some choices are shown as more evidently useful than others, then if these choices are taken up, do we still claim freedom – or is it merely a manipulation of facts to make it seem like freedom, while the actual control lies in the hands of another party? It is essential for media to be free but does freedom give it also the right to choose its preferred version of the truth? What happens in such a case is that a constructed reality is created, it may seem like freedom, but it’s actually a subconscious dictation. While no force is being used, the brain-washing ensures that the biased version of truth prevails. Is it fair to use sensationalism and propaganda as tools for some third party or self interest, without any consideration for reality?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Indeed jana,

And is it freedom when the media serves as a medium for promoting anarchy and sympathy for anarchists, by allowing them a platform to justify their means and poison minds, by themselves implicitly or explicitly justifying or sympathizing with anarchist causes?

In a Utopia perhaps, but the real world is not so simple as that, and restrictions and regulations are necessary. Only were everyone a Socrates would such "freedom" be justifiable.

 

[Always Neutral]

Countrywide protests against Geo closure


Countrywide protests against Geo closure



Step termed economic murder of journalists, other staff Compiled from dispatches and agencies
ISLAMABAD: Journalists, lawyers, political workers and civil society activists on Saturday staged protest demonstrations against curbs on the media especially shutting down of Geo News and ARY OneWorld in all major cities and towns of the country.

Responding to a call, given by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) and the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), hundreds of protestors, belonging to all walks of life, participated in the demonstrations against the government for shutting down the transmission of private TV channels, outside the offices of Geo TV, Islamabad.

Speakers termed the closure of Geo TV and another channel as the economic murder of hundreds of journalists and other staff.

Hamid Mir said the state security agencies were coercing the media men through various tactics. On the other hand, the government was pressurising the independent media with the help of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Pemra.

On this occasion, a political analyst, Nasir Zaidi, said dictators had always tried to silence the voice of truth.

Journalists of the twin cities and members of political parties as well as the civil society held placards and banners with 'We want freedom' and 'Remove the media restrictions' inscribed on them.

They vowed to continue their protest till the restoration of freedom of press. They said the military rulers tried to conquer the nation but they always failed to do so.

RIUJ President Afzal Butt said after placing restriction on the print media, now the government has started to shut down the electronic media.

"But journalists will not allow the government to shut down the TV channels and impose curbs on the media through censorship," he added.

The protesters said that on the one hand the government was claiming to be a champion of freedom of expression, but on the other, independent TV channels were being banned.

Another speaker, Pervaiz Shaukat, also denounced the recent government steps, while PPP leader Farhatullah Babar, J Salik, Afzal Butt, Fauzia Shahid and Naseem Zehra were also present at the demonstration. Meanwhile, the journalist community on Saturday took to the streets in Lahore against the Musharraf government for shutting down Geo TV network and another TV channel transmission. Hundreds of journalists held a protest demonstration outside the Lahore Press Club to denounce the government decision of suppressing the media. The protesters were wearing black armbands and raising slogans against the Musharraf government. They were holding banners and placards, demanding constitutional freedom of speech and expression.

They were joined by the civil society activists, including Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Chairperson Asma Jehangir, Joint Action Committee (JAC) Convener Shahtaj Qazalbash, Mehboob Ahmed Khan and Bilal Minto.

Thousands of journalists including Geo employees organised a protest demonstration in front of the Geo TV offices Saturday and demanded immediate restoration of all banned news channels.

The closure of Geo channel across the world was heard as shocking news, and people from different parts of the world continued calling Geo and its related newspaper offices about the latest situation.

The Association of TV Journalists secretary announced that a 'candlelit protest demo' will be held outside the Geo offices on Monday.

He requested all media organisations, journalists, friends and civil society organisations to participate in the demonstration to express their solidarity and come along with candles in their hands.

The protesters, who took to the street vehemently, condemned closure of Geo TV and termed it 'draconian laws' and black chapter of the history of media freedom in the country.

Former Minister of State for Religious Affairs Dr Aamir Liaquat Hussain offered dua (prayers) on the occasion. He prayed to Allah Almighty to save the country from all dangers.

A solidarity camp was also set up outside the Geo TV offices, where journalists placed hundreds of bouquets and written words of sympathy and sentiments against curbs on media and the closure of Geo news channel.

Heavy deployment of police force was witnessed at II Chundrigar Road. Rangers were commanding the entire area, however no untoward incident took place.

Senior journalists, KPC President Sabihuddin Ghousi, Dawn News officials Azhar ABbas, KUJ President Shamimur Rahman took part in the Geo protest and condemned restrictions and a ban on Geo channels.

Journalists Saturday held a demonstration against shutting down of some TV channels including Geo News and amendments in Pemra.

In their speeches, Quetta Press Club President Shahzada Zulfikar and other senior journalists demanded the government reverse the amendments.

 

[Interceptor]

Asim, Sam and Bhangra -

You cannot claim that "freedom and free speech" are under a bigger threat from the closure of a couple of TV stations, than they would be under the threat of violent, barbaric extremism.

How can all these people silently acquiesce to what is an existential threat to Pakistan from the Taliban, with hundreds of people dying in their attacks - but suddenly decide that their "freedom' is under attack when the TV goes off?

And you not see the even bigger threat, the threat of civil war, the media has been closed down because you are blind and do not understand the meaning of its shut down, this is a curfew on the media, it is to do with calming measures thats why Geo news has been taken off. It shows the medias protest on TV, did you not see those black bands on the shoulders of the anchors and newsreaders.

Those who lost their life in those attacks, it isn't the medias fault, it is the dictatorships fault why isn't the general standing behinds his troops how can a general have so much free time to even write a book, he should be busy controlling is army.

You are an actor, you attack the media and then be all nice.

William Wallace would be ashamed. He at least stood for freedom in the face of the true threat - that of his people's, and his nations existence. I'll respect these hypocrites when they take out some protests against the Taliban.

No, Wallace is a leader, he only expressed the voice of his people and you use that as an example of freedom, he fought not for freedom but he fought along side freedom, he made himself an example that it is the people who will inevitably fight if they concerns are voiced.

You support the closure of the media channels, that voiced the concerns of the people and wanted to see them silenced, Wallace would have been ashamed of you.

That said, I'm not suggesting that the closure is a good thing - just that everyones priorities are screwed up if this is considered "protestable" but the extremist threat is not.

Hypocrisy.

 

[Awesome]

Asim, Sam and Bhangra -

You cannot claim that "freedom and free speech" are under a bigger threat from the closure of a couple of TV stations, than they would be under the threat of violent, barbaric extremism.

How can all these people silently acquiesce to what is an existential threat to Pakistan from the Taliban, with hundreds of people dying in their attacks - but suddenly decide that their "freedom' is under attack when the TV goes off?

William Wallace would be ashamed. He at least stood for freedom in the face of the true threat - that of his people's, and his nations existence. I'll respect these hypocrites when they take out some protests against the Taliban.

That said, I'm not suggesting that the closure is a good thing - just that everyones priorities are screwed up if this is considered "protestable" but the extremist threat is not.

I completely endorse the fight in most of the regions. Some places militarily, and in some places diplomatically.

These questions of priorities are not new and unique to Pakistan. I'm pretty sure I'm quoting Ben Franklin this time: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both". The bombings have to be stopped separately. The media has to be freed, separately.

Remember a lot of people protesting today are those who clashed with the radicals during the Lahore marathon. They took out record breaking processions in support of Musharraf in Karachi, they supported him in the Women Empowerment Act and supported him against the Hisba Bill. Geo itself was the primary driver for the Women Empowerment act who started the campaign of "Zara Sochiye".

I think the main concern for Musharraf should be that its not just radicals and BB and NS supporters who are criticizing the ban on the media (emergency, ousting the CJ, house arrests are all ok and can be argued as necessary), but it's even his own supporters. It's even those who hate BB and NS. It's even those who have fought the radicals.

 

[Awesome]

BTW Geo News did resume some news based programming today. The TV version is not a full fledged 24 hours News network any more but they are carrying on with their news programs during different hours of the day.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

And you not see the even bigger threat, the threat of civil war, the media has been closed down because you are blind and do not understand the meaning of its shut down, this is a curfew on the media, it is to do with calming measures thats why Geo news has been taken off. It shows the medias protest on TV, did you not see those black bands on the shoulders of the anchors and newsreaders.

Those who lost their life in those attacks, it isn't the medias fault, it is the dictatorships fault why isn't the general standing behinds his troops how can a general have so much free time to even write a book, he should be busy controlling is army.

You are an actor, you attack the media and then be all nice.

Civil war you say - between who? The extremists and the moderates of course - and who has been allowing the extremists air time, allowing them to sugar coat their message of death and destruction? The media! At a time when they should have unequivocally stated that; whatever their demands, violence is not justified - taking up arms against the state is unjustified - bombing and threatening schools and businesses is unjustified.

Hypocrisy.

Pray tell how?

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Asim;

My criticism was not directed at you at all, I know where you stand from all your posts in this forum, but the players I specifically mentioned. Your point about the efforts of the media in projecting the causes you mentioned is taken - and that was a very important role indeed. But I never saw an unequivocal condemnation in the media against the militants - I never saw mass protests against terrorism and talibanisation, I never saw mouths taped shut and blind folds to raise awareness of what the demands for "shariah" represented.

I concur with interceptor on one other issue, that the media shut down is for "calming measures" - the army comes from the same streets, homes and society as the rest of Pakistanis - their rank and file have the same emotions, failings and fears as the rest of us- they are not supermen. The kind of doom and gloom that was being projected, I believe, was having an effect on morale - if nothing else, then the chance to remove that negativity even to a small extent, should help, and should therefore justify the restrictions on the channels.

But I would not support the conditions banning criticism of the legislature, government and its members in the long run. I believe the remaining restrictions are perfectly appropriate.

 

[danishsaleem]

Salam,


yes its true, that Government wanted to calm the things, but i would like to ask you all that that kind of decision will be acceptable by the Generals, when that decision will be taken by democratly elected Governments.

Danish saleem

 

[Moin91]

Journalists plan big protest tomorrow


Monday, November 19, 2007
By our correspondent

Karachi

The community of journalists plans to stage a big protest demonstration on Tuesday as part of their ongoing protest against curbs placed on the print and electronic media and the closure of two TV channels - Geo and Ary.

Protest processions will be taken out across the country on the call of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), in accordance with PFUJ guidelines, will also hold demos, processions, rallies and protest camps.

The route of the rally will be decided at the eleventh hour to keep the entire programme secret from law-enforcement agencies and the provincial administration due to security reasons and possible arrests, said KUJ President Shamim-ur-Rahman at a protest meeting held at the lawn of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Sunday.

Journalists were asked to be prepared for any eventuality and fully participate in the rally as a “forceful demonstration” by journalists would convey the message to the authorities concerned.

The final programme will be announced on Monday, as day to day developments had forced the media associations to chalk out programmes accordingly. “We were not ready for certain unforeseen developments, like the closure of two TV channels that shook the entire nation and the people across the world,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, President, ATJ, Javed Saba said that journalists should stage protests in an organised manner and avoid any aggressive steps.

The meeting also condemned the murder of the wife of slain journalist Hayatullah in a bomb blast and the continuous arrests and crackdown on the media. It also condemned the ban on the entry of journalists into Sindh High Court premises and demanded of the authorities concerned to avoid a confrontational policy.

Later, the journalists staged a protest demonstration outside KPC and chanted slogans against the ban on media and closure of Geo. Carrying banners and placards, they were shouting slogans: “We want freedom”, “ban on media not acceptable”.

A police mobile was positioned outside KPC. However, no untoward incident took place as the demonstrators dispersed peacefully after registering their protest.


Journalists plan big protest tomorrow

 

[HAIDER]

Interesting comment from Nazim Karachi about media..

 

[jantobanto]

the decision regarding the closer of geo and ary1 world, was right.
because in a sense, geo and ary were involved in monopolising the media sector.
and they were out of limits, they were puting thier own agendas on the name of journlism and freedom 0f spech + read +write+listening+ veiwing etc..


geo was taking our dirty politics on the peak of crazyness, people were losing respect of govt.
some of its hosts( SHAHID MASOD) even caught saying, bad words for forces
fighting the militants.
it isnt journlism, it was a mess, and it needed to be stoped.

geo was forefront against govt, against musharf ,which was okyed , but it was going beyond that?
even now u can look , geo still trying to make the crunt situation more worse with its online tv, against govt pakistan.
it was very foolish , and very pety to see geo admistration , went to USAs ambasdor to pakistan for the reopening of thier chanel.

they lost alot of support by their veiwers, because of the fact they were trying to become CNN s urdu version.

only thing in my mind, is that media should realize the respect and concerns of the govt, because its govt , which is running the country not media???

and govt. should open more chanels with some ,conditions not restrictions , to counter the stallite media attack , by a MEDIA which seems to become, MAFIA .
pakistan.