Orders to suspend Geo TV licences, seal offices - Pakistan - DAWN.COM
Orders to suspend Geo TV licences, seal offices
Published 32 minutes ago
ISLAMABAD: A committee formed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has suspended the licences of three television channels owned by the Geo TV network.
The committee has also decided that Geo TV offices be immediately sealed.
However, a final decision on the revocation of the licences will be announced following the meeting on May 28, which will also be attended by government representatives.
The committee, which includes members Syed Ismail Shah, Pervez Rathore and Israr Abbasi, was tasked to review the Ministry of Defence's application filed against Geo TV network for leveling allegations against an intelligence agency of Pakistan.
Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, members of the committee announced that they have decided to suspend the licences of the three channels — Geo News, Geo Entertainment and Geo Tez — with immediate effect.
The suspension is to stay in effect until May 28, when another session of the committee will be called to decide on the final decision regarding cancellation of the licences.
The committee says it has sent to the Council of Complaints (CoC) the recommendations for revocation of licences, a response to which is expected to be returned in a week’s time.
Geo channels to go off air after licences suspended
20:49 May 20, 2014
PAKISTAN
Geo channels to go off air after licences suspended
ISLAMABAD: Announcing immediate suspension of their broadcasting licences, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) has issued directived to seal the offices of three Geo channels, Samaa reported.
"Pemra has suspended the licences of Geo TV (Entertainment), Geo News and Geo Tez with immediate effect. We could have revoked the licenses as the quorum was complete, however, we have adjourned the decision until May 28 for we want all the members to be present in that meeting", said Israr Abbasi, a Pemra member.
The decision was taken during a meeting held here to review complaints filed against Geo TV for airing a controversial program in its morning show and allegations that the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency was behind an attempt to kill top anchor Hamid Mir.
The above-mentioned channels will go off air sooner or later.
According to Pemra member Mian Shams, the government representatives did not show up for the meeting, which was attended by only five private members. The meetig was adjounred until May 28.
On May 16, 2014, Pemra served a show-cause notice to Geo TV for violating the authority’s code of conduct in its program.
According to the watchdog, it has received more than 5000 complaints against the TV channel.