Summary Announces countrywide protest from Saturday against Jang and Geo group’s attitude.
KARACHI (Dunya News/Agencies) - Chairman Cable Operators Association of Pakistan Khalid Arain has demanded that Pakistan Broadcasting Association must take notice of Geo s transmission and cancel its licence.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday night, Khalid Arain said that Jang and Geo group had sent at least 18 people to disrupt cable operators’ press conference, which was held on Friday evening.
“Our voice was suppressed today. Geo reporters should have fulfilled journalistic responsibilities, but they didn’t. It was complete rogue attitude against us.”
The association also announced to launch countrywide protests from Saturday against hooliganism of Geo.
The media group is spreading hatred against national security. Freedom of speech cannot be used against the religion, said Arain.
Earlier, the Jang and Geo group reporters disrupted Cable Operators Association of Pakistan’s press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC).
As soon Cable Operators Association of Pakistan Chairman Khalid Arain began his hurriedly-called press briefing, a reporter of Geo News stood up and indulged in bickering with Arain along with targeting other cable operators’ representatives.
Shortly other reporters of Jang and Geo chipped in and started hurling abuses at cable operators.
Initially Arain had spoken that cable operators were facing difficulties due to recent situations.
“No TV programme has anything to do with cable operators. We have no role in content generation. But we all are instantly blamed and our cable connections are cut off in rage and protest,” said Arain.
Meanwhile, the transmission of Geo News has been closed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on the instruction of Prime Minister of the region Chaudhry Abdul Majeed.
Protests and rallies were also taken out against Geo Group after the channel showed blasphemous content in its morning show "Utho Jago Pakistan" hosted by Shaista Lodhi.
Protests erupted in various cities, including Karachi, Faisalabad, Multan by activists of religious organizations who chanted slogans and flashed banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the TV channel.
The participants in the rally are demanding the federal government to close the news channel.
Condemnations had flooded in from all religious schools of thought against the private channel soon after the programme was aired.
Various religious scholars described the show as ‘blasphemous’, and called for ban on Geo’s transmission. SIC took a step ahead and has issuing a fatwa (religious edict) declaring watching Geo TV as “haram”.
It also demanded that the government ban the Jang/Geo Group satellite channels just like it banned YouTube.
On the other hand, Dr Shaista said that she seeks forgiveness from the Almighty Allah over an unintended gaffe that hurt the sentiments of the people.
