PTI Chairman Imran Khan demanded an inquiry to find out why Pakistan Television was not even allowed to take part in the bidding process. PHOTO: AFP
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has called for an inquiry into the revelations about a leading Pakistani media group made by Hindustan Times in its internal inquiry into a source-less article published in the September 29, 2013, edition of the paper.
“This is a very serious matter. It’s a serious allegation. It should be fully investigated and facts should be exposed. I believe it’s wrong for any Pakistani television channel to make propaganda under the influence of any foreign agency. An inquiry should be held into the matter,” Imran told Mubashar Lucman in his programme on ARY News on Sunday.
The PTI chief also said that a man working for a private TV channel was given the charge of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). He made rules of his choice and awarded the broadcasting contract of cricket matches to the same media outlet, and that too for a period of six months.
“It is interesting that while the broadcasting rights in India are awarded for one, two and five years, but the said channel was given the rights for six months,” he added.
This means now the government would keep the media outlet under pressure and would award the rights for the next six months only if it ‘performed’ well in six months. He also demanded an inquiry to find out why Pakistan Television was not even allowed to take part in the bidding process.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2013.
COMMENTS (31)
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@gp 65
Dear sir, I do appreciate the journalistic standard established by HT through an impartial enquiry and subsequent retraction. My comment was directed against the contents in the last paragraph of Adnan Siddiqi comment. Let me tell you that I felt extremely honoured when I had the opportunity to meet the internationally syndicated Indian journalists like Kaldeep Nayyer, Pran Saberwal, Ajeet Battachargia and MJ Akbar during their official visits to my home town in KhyberPukhtoonkhwa.
@ Adnan Siddiqi One should not be disloyal to his country and its vital institutions merely under the spell of animosity towards a political leader of national stature and journalists of high repute.
No one complained and no one alleged GEO to have been funded by RAW and India, not even IK himself when the same GEO was giving massive coverage to PTI starting on 30th October, 2011. This channel's transmission started when the first chair was laid out at a Jalsa venue and continued until late night when the event ended. When IK fell from the fork lift, Hamid Mir was alleged to have been running a full scale PTI election campaign on behalf of a bedridden IK and garnering massive sympathy for IK and PTI through GEO's nonstop and poignant coverage of IK's injuries and PTI's election activities.
Shame on IK to be talking without making any sense now and paying heed to the investigative reports of a dubious and a flop lollywood movie director named Mubashir Luqman who not until too long ago was a poster boy and keynote speaker for PTI along with Haroon-ur-Rasheed and Hassan Nissar.
Mr taliban khan is an isi stooge. They funded his election campaign and that is how and why his party got more than 1 seat in last election. isi has planted this news to discredit tv channels that try and bring truth to light.
@karachiwala:
There is lie mixed with truth. The so called leaked investigation report of Hindustan Times has no substance as this document is no where on Hindustan Times website(s) or even consists of their letter pad. It seems to be written by someone in Pakistan just to confuse people (the same way as there was this list of journalists taking benefits from Beharia Town). This document (which reads more like a blog post) is simply fabricated.
Government must keep any eye on the media funds and also on journalists. it is known from a BBC report that BBC funded Geo. There may be other sources of funding. They are traitors.
I think this is where credibility question comes. Mubashir Luqman has been in the controversy with Dunya TV and now what ever he does, whatever facts he comes up with, I personally would challenge his credibility as how did he come up with the articles, if the articles are genuine. What if the story is staged up by ISI and Luqman himself along with HT to make sure this Aman ki Asha fails and Geo goes dumped. Its highly controversial
Daring stance.... Now keep an eye on how GEO tv starts IK's defamation campaign
As above a fellow mentioned, here everyone is corrupt. All including this matter of involvement of Geo is the depiction of our nations corrupt face.
@water bottle: The truth is out Read to your heart's content http://tribune.com.pk/story/623488/indian-campaign-on-isi-exposed/
sorry ET but your headline is wrong because the campaign by Geo TV was to discredit Bol TV
Is it necessary for IK to comment on every issue that crops up in the media?As the chairman of PTI he should only speak on the major issues facing the country to maintain the dignity of his post.The issue of GEO could have been easily dealt with by the secondary leaders in his party.
People, people.
Don't be fools.
So far, nobody has published the leaked investigation report of Hindustan Times.
Wait till the truth comes out.
Geo news reporting on election day speaks volumes of their bias. And does anybody know that Fox News network trained all the staff of Geo at the time of inception..?
Thank you Mubashir Lucman for bringing the truth out. Keep up the good work!
ET mods - on this story you are blocking any Indian response. Please follow your own comment guidelines in deciding what to publish and what to omit. Do not go by your own personal opinions.
@Muntazir: Geo was trying to discredit their own competitor media channel. The story did not benefit India in any way. After all even if this other media channel is discredited, how does it benefit India?
Glad to see Imran Khan taking up this matter.
A very sane and serious talk from Imran Khan after a long long time.How on earth can a state allow such media groups to operate within its jurisdiction? GEO's pro Indian and anti Pakistan campaigns are no secret anymore. Had somebody been exposed in India like this, working for Pakistan, we all can be sure that Indian public would have burnt their offices and staff by now. The state must act and bring to justice all those who are involved. This makes for the classic case of high treason!
When you are on a channel then you are not serious !
If you are serious then you go to Parilament and take action not words.
It is good to see IK taking an interest in cricket again - could be a nice fall-back profession for him should this KPK thing not work out.
Corrupt Gew news + corrupt government = disaster....
Everyone is Brutus! The politicians, the army , judiciary and to top it, the media. Those trying to denude other people illegal and immoral activities are themselves debauched. I assure you, nothing will happen and this news will sink in the usual war of allegations and counter allegations, with no end result as is the norm in this country. No objective investigation will be done.
100% Agreed - I have had that question in my mind too!
This is actually expose out all the culprits - just can't wait this to come out! Hate it when your own ppl bring harm to their nation!!