Irked political workers cut off cable TV
Angry over being ignored in the news, activists of a political party tore down distribution systems of television cable, causing a media blackout in parts of the city.
Armed and annoyed, the political workers forced cable operators to shut down transmission of Geo TV on Monday night but when some of them refused, cable wires were cut off in various parts of Karachi.
“This is not our fight,” Cable Operators Association President Khalid Arain said at a press conference on Tuesday. “If anyone has problems with the news coverage, they better go talk to the head of news channels.”
Without mentioning the name of the political party behind the disturbance, Arain said that Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali has assured prompt action against workers who attacked and threatened the cable operators.
Meanwhile, ANP Sindh President Shahi Syed criticised news channels, saying: “They are quick at pointing fingers at us. What had happened to media freedom when Afaq Ahmed was meeting us and the event was not covered on orders of a political party?”
GM Jamali, President of Karachi Union of Journalists, added that journalists have nothing to do with the policy adopted by a television channel.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2012.
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