ISLAMABAD: Geo, Pakistan’s leading private TV channel, is still off the air for the second week, after its transmissions have been suspended in many parts of Pakistan.
On its official twitter account, Geo posted a message for its viewers, asking them to raise their voices.
“If viewers/readers cannot watch Geo News on their TV screens or if our channels have somehow been shifted from their original numbers, or if they are deprived of receiving their copies of Daily Jang or/and The News, they can lodge complains ...,” the weet read.
The reason for putting Geo off the hook is not known, and even the TV management has not categorically said anything on the development.
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has already ordered the restoration of all Geo TV channels on its actual position on cable but the instruction has not been implemented yet.
“The shutting down of any licensed channel is the violation of PEMRA laws,” PEMRA said in statement early this week on April 2.
“The authority has suspended the licenses of (cable operators) Wateen Multimedia Lahore, World Call Cable, Lahore and Karachi, warning if Geo’s channels were not restored, their licenses would be canceled,” the statement said.
The Pakistan Broadcasters Association, a body of the country’s media houses, in its statement referring to PEMRA’s notification, said PBA members are all PEMRA licensees and any closure of a licensed channel on cable networks without following due course of law is unlawful and violates basic rights given under the constitution of Pakistan.
“Freedom of speech and the right to information are basic rights guaranteed under the constitution of Pakistan. PBA demands that PEMRA and the Government of Pakistan ensure that no lawful licensed channel should be taken off air without following the given procedures under the law,” the statement read.
“PBA also demands that any such violation of its members’ legal rights to broadcast must be immediately addressed.”