Pemra issues legal notice to media group

Regulatory authority says campaign against it is fraudulent and malicious.

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Tuesday strongly condemned “the image-tarnishing and defamatory campaign” launched by a media group against it and the government by deceiving the honourable courts as well as public through concocted stories.

This was stated in a press release, issued in response to allegations published in The News, a part of the Jang Group which also owns Geo. The News had earlier alleged that Pemra and the government had tried to harm its interests with respect to cricket world cup rights.

Pemra has clarified that Gul Muhammad Kakar is not an employee of the authority but an employee of the University of Balochistan. Pemra further states that his services were requisitioned by Pemra on deputation for a period of one year in 2008 and on March 2 this year he was relieved and repatriated to Balochistan University. The authority is repatriating all those on deputation who have completed two years or more in Pemra. The authority also said in the press release that Kakar has been trying to get himself absorbed into Pemra permanently and was using various sources to relax rules in his favour.

According to the press release Pemra started deposing officials on deputation to protect indigenous employees in line with the directive of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and there was no arbitrary or prejudiced action. According to Pemra, Kakar has  started malicious propaganda against his repatriation.

Pemra stated that the regulatory authority, in pursuance to the orders of Supreme Court, has been taking strenuous efforts to distribute Geo Super uninterruptedly on all cable networks. Pemra is also issuing legal notice to Gul Muhammad Kakar for his defamatory campaign with the backing of the Geo Group against Pemra and the government.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2011.