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India-Pakistan

Pemra disowns members' decision to suspend Geo licences

2014-05-21

[DAWN] The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Tuesday disowned the decisions announced by its three members regarding cancellation of licences of three television channels owned by the Geo TV network.
Geo's critical of the Mighty Pak Army. Therefore it needed shut down. Most of the pols in Pakistain played dog-pile-on-the-rabbit.
In a press statement issued here, the media regulatory body referred to the media talks held by three private members -- Israr Abbassi, Mian Shams and Fareeha Iftikhar -- in front of Pamra headquarters earlier today. The members of the committee had announced the suspension and also ordered that Geo TV offices be sealed down.
Even though Geo needed shut down to unbunch the national panties, there seems to be some dim realization that Pakistain's free press is demonstrably not free. Appearances aren't being kept up and they can't think up something to explain it all away or blame it on India.
A spokesman for the regulatory body had also said in a statement that the meeting called today had no legal validity "since it was not called officially in spirit of Rule 3(4) of Pemra Rules 2009."
"So, really, they're shut down, but not officially shut down."
According to the Pemra rules listed on its website, a meeting of the regulatory body can be convened on the request of at least one half of its total membership.

Posted by:Fred

#1 According to the Time of India,
"The decision was taken at a meeting here to review complaints filed against Geo network for showing allegedly blasphemous morning show on its entertainment channel and allegations by its news channel that the country's spy agency, Inter Services Intelligence, had orchestrated the attack on journalist Hamid Mir in Karachi.
Which ISI, the inner or the outer?

The committee members told the media the decision was taken unanimously. But two-third of the committee's members did not participate in the meeting.

Only private members attended the meeting while government representatives did not show up."

"He [Pemra member Israr Abbasi] added a final decision whether to cancel the licenses will be taken on May 28. Abbasi alleged Geo owner Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman had called Pemra members and was trying to influence their decision by offering bribes as well as making threats."

Posted by: Squinty 2014-05-21 13:10

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