Meanwhile, many offices of cable operators in Karachi have been set ablaze by angry activists of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
Some of PPP’s leaders and government officials have issued threats and warnings to cable operators across country against continuation of Geo News transmission, pressurizing them to shut Geo News transmission but most cable operators refused to do so, sources said.
However, a private company namely World Call and another one by the name KMPC blocked Geo News signals as late as 2am in morning.
Newspapers’ vendors have been robbed of copies of Jang and Thenews newspapers upon direction of President Asif Ali Zardari and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira from London, besides, the PPP workers were accompanied by police officials in posing threats to cable operators and hawkers, sources told media.
Following the blockage, a large number of people registered a massive protest against closure of Geo News transmission across country and rampage, arson and riots triggered by workers of PPP, sources said.
Meanwhile, many a Geo News’ workers have decided to register a protest against government in reaction against blockage of Geo News transmission over keeping people updated with facts and truths.
People and Geo News employees have resolved staging a massive string of demonstrations against stoppage of Geo News transmission and burning of Jang and Thenews newspapers by PPP workers, sources said.
The Demos will be staged outside President House, Prime Minister House, in front of Oman Embassy in Islamabad, outside CM, Governor Houses, Press Clubs and offices of cable operators all over country.
Most copies of Jang and Thenews newspapers have been burnt to ashes after robbing them of hawkers at gunpoint in Karachi.
A meeting of journalists, and Geo News employees has been convened in this connection, which will decide further course of action over this issue, journalists told Geo News.
People were of the view that Geo/Jang Group is being penalized over revealing of facts and speaking the truth. They said the ruling elite is angry over reporting of news regarding controversial visit of president Zardari in face of worst floods in country.
President was not only being criticized in country but international media were also grilling him due to massive human crisis in country while he refused to call off his UK visit.
Photo and Video Courtesy: Danial Shaikh
Article: http://www.geo.tv/8-8-2010/69658.htm
Comments Please!
This act of blocking Geo News only goes of to show the levels to which the president and his government can stoop to. He maybe able to block a few channels, but its almost naive to think that at this time an age of information dissemination and media penetration, any news that a viewer wants to receive can be blocked.
ReplyDeleteThe president will have to face the music sooner or later. I just hope its sooner than soon!
Irrespective of what people feel about this incident.. as far is media ethics is concerned.. people want to know the truth. In my subjective opinion, media should have broken that news and they did. But giving it too much coverage to earn TRPs led this ban come into play. and I had a feeling about this because PTV did not break that news as far as I recall.. Same thing happened to Bush.. we didn't see any news of banning CNN or BBC
ReplyDeleteInspite of shouting out loud that we have freedom of speech and have free media in our country, it is really depressing to know that we dont. Burning down the newspapers and cable operators' offices potrays the clear hooliganism of the ruling political party. TV channels weren't off air, cable operators' offices weren't shut down, threats weren't given to the cable and channel personnel when a US president came across similar incident. It is a shame we live in a country where journalism does not gets its justice.
ReplyDeleteIn a move worthy of military dictators, GEO and ARY TV were blocked over airing the news of shoes beign hurled at Mr. 10%. PTV ignored the incident completely!
ReplyDeleteShould the government have the power to black out a news completely? NEVER!! The power weilded by the government is the complete antithesis of a free media.
The 'Baba Jee' who threw the shoe is being hailed as a hero throughout Pakistan. The question here becomes, should the media block out such an embarassing incident or sould such a President be allowed to continue?
This is so pathetic response from a so called democratic government. It happened after the news in which the Pakistani community in UK highly protested against Zardari’s visit. They demanded him to go back to Pakistan as your country is suffering a huge natural disaster and you’re just enjoying your visit in a country which even don’t care of the your respect.
ReplyDeleteGEO and ARY have been banned so brutally just because of showing truth about what’s happening in UK against Zardari’s visit. It has been happening for years with local media, that government banned with some false allegations of exaggerating some news, but we in Pakistan must appreciate the media who has courage to present truth.
Khud par Tanqeed kar ke Jeo (Live with self-critisisum)
hahahahahahhaahhahaha.....now on a serious note....govt should not need to do this...bcoz the news is already published ..they cant do anything about this ... this act of govt show they still dont have the mindset of democracy they are still living in marshall law mind set .... get well soon government
ReplyDeletethe issue that happened yestrday in UK was worst but as the PPP threat the THE CABLES NETWORKS AND HAD TRIED TO BANNED GEO NEW N OTHER TV CHANNELS IZ NOT GOOD BC OTHER HAND YOUR GOVERMENT IS SAYING THAT "MEDIA" YOU ARE FREE HAVING FREEDOM TO DO YOUR WORK N OTHER HAND YOU THREATING THEM N TRYING TO GET WHAT ACTUALLY YOU WANTS(PPP),NEWS CHANNELS SHOULD B RESPONSIBLE OTHER SIDE N NOT TRIES TO MAKE THE CHAT PAATTI STORIES JUST TO EARN GOOD GRPS:(
ReplyDeleteAs far as our media is concern it is the responsibility of our media to show a correct picture and also tell the truth about any incident happens in the world. so in my opinion this is very wrong by the government to block any channel to tell the truth. This incident happen in most of the other countries leading personalities like George Bush but after that he didnt block BBC and other news channels then why our government block Geo News and other News channel to air this shoe incident in Pakistan. Shame Our Government.......
ReplyDeleteBeing a democratic country, the government shouldn’t ban the channels which are not showing anything which is fake or forged. This is nothing new happened with our dear president, the incident happened yesterday i.e. august 7 2010; that a common man threw shoes at our president Zardari in his address in Birmingham; as we all have heard about the same situation president Bush went through, but no media channel was banned or given threats there.
ReplyDeleteOn the same ground, it is the ethical duty of media not to create hype of such an issue which is not favoring the country or can ruin country’s image in the world.
I think it is a truth and it has to be published. However, Giving it a lot of importance for TRP's or exagurating the news is wrong.Whatever protest PPP is doing is just not acceptable and givernment should take a stand on it. We as nation should protest against it and again media can play a vital role.
ReplyDelete"Joota khappay Day" shall be celebrated every 7th August as someone atleast stood up and showed some courage. We should now be used to such kind of pathetic restrictions as we ourselves gave him the chance to rule us and still knowing everything and all his God gifted qualities we act like a bounded labour.
ReplyDeleteMay God gives us enough courage like that old man who did this achievement.
I totally disagree to Government's deciison of blocking Geo News. In fact, every TV Channel has the freedom to show the truth while following the code of conducts (which mostly all the channels in Pakistan don't strictly follow due to the laziness or whatever reason from PEMRA).
ReplyDeleteIn the past, Geo Network has been showing other stuff that has nothing to do with the Government's image, and was inappropriate as well. So why the Government didn't block Geo at that time when the Country's Image was at stake. It simply gives me the impression that the Goverment officials are not sincere to their country, their people (who elected them being a Democratic Nation) and they are just focusing on their image. We all need to be united at this time of crisis & by all I mean not only the people of Pakistan but the Government & people should all be sorting out things in the flooded areas but the UK visit seems to be more important for the Government (which I'm sure will not benefit us in any way, either social or economic way).
and the robbing of hawkers and burning newspapers and threatening of cable operators is the most pathetic move. The truth is already unfold. so burning cannot stop this from spreading. In fact, this move is making this issue hotter and hotter (As we know that we are discussing this on our blog)
Syed Muhammad Danish
This is not the first time that GEO has been blocked in the country, as Geo always do propagandas against government. But what PPP people are doing with cable operators and other distributors that are not fair as they are showing what people want to watch.
ReplyDeleteEvery one is thinking that in such crucial situations why Mr. Zardari is not in Pakistan? What is the reaction of Government against the currant situation? Peoples of Pakistan are suffering from floods, natural disasters, as well as Target killings. So who is responsible and what is the action plan? This is the only question…..
This thing, wht our Govt does is not new for us, but whats new is that PPP popularity is now shown lyk a clear mirror, peoples of ne part of the world have no concern abt wht politicians do and wht they don't unless their demands are fulfilled, they get all the necessities of FOOD, SHELTER, and CLOTHING, wht PPP calls, ROOTI KAPRA MAKAAN
ReplyDeletelaikin koi in say aik baat puchy, kitny ghareebo ko ROOTI KAPRA MAKAN diyaa hai PPP nei, aur kitny LOGO say cheena hai yeh sab.
Benazir Prog k har maheenay 1000rss day k samjhty hai bht bara kaam kiyaaa????? 1000rs/mnth mei banda guzara kaisy kary ga mujy sirf yeh bata dein.
is waqt mulk badtareen floods aur target killings say guzar rha hai, dusri side hamary uper musalat WAR on TERROR, apny hi mulk ko hum khud tor rhy hai, aur hamary PYARY JANAB SADAR SAHAB, international trips kar rhy hai
agar inka yeh trip wakei MULK ki khidmat k lyee tha, thn y is he stayng in hotel which cost 750000rs/nyt for presidential suit and 500000rs/nyt for executive suit.
agar mulk ka itna hi khyaal tha tu jab inhei pata chalaa k floods are destroying the villages, tu y din' he askd primeminister to go there and hav a look.
Jab USA mei KATRINA ayaa thaa, BUSH full suited booted hoo k trip pay jannay lagay tu un k PA nei kaha k sir is halat mei app jaa rhy hai, loag ghussa ho sakty hai, he took of his coat, folded his arms and he was in the flood destroyd area and was talking to peoples.
SOCHNA APP KO HAI K KAUN SAHI AUR KAUN GHALAT.
Courtesy
CHANNEL ❻❾, HAQ KI AWAZ, GEO PHAR K
you guys should know that the leader is the true image of its nation and we as a nation deserve this. So try changing ourselves rather than wasting time and being happy on such insulting and demeaning behavoiur.
ReplyDelete