.
The fine has to be paid before the expiry of the suspension period.
The order was issued by newly-appointed interim chairperson Pervaiz Rathore. It was also decided that in case of repeated violation by Geo TV, proceedings for the revocation of the license shall be initiated.
All field offices of Pemra have been directed to implement the decision with immediate effect.
Earlier on May 20, Pemra’s private members had announced their decision to suspend the licences of Geo News, Geo Entertainment and Geo Tez till May 28. Hours after the announcement, however, the decision was disowned by the Pemra spokesperson.
Pemra’s private member Israr Abbasi, while speaking to Express News today, said the new decision was taken by the government members alone and not the entire regulatory body.
He also claimed that Pemra rules don’t permit appointment of caretaker head.
Geo sues ISI for defamation
Geo News, part of the privately owned Jang Group, is suing the powerful spy agency for defamation over accusations of being anti-state, it said on Friday, in an unprecedented move.
It has also given the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) 14 days to issue a public apology.
“Geo and Jang Group (have) served a legal notice on the Ministry of Defence, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority for defaming and maligning the group,” the channel said in a report published in a newspaper owned by the media house.
“More than 8,000 journalists, workers and professionals attached to the group and their families are not only being harassed but also attacked and tortured across Pakistan.”
In April, the defence ministry had demanded that the licence of Geo News be suspended after it reported that the ISI was behind the shooting of one of senior journalist Hamid Mir.
Since the dispute began, Geo News has been taken off the air in several parts of the country or been moved to obscure slots on the channel lineup by the cable operators, allegedly under pressure from the military, according to the lawsuit.
Distribution of the parent group’s newspapers has also been disrupted.
Last month, the channel apologised for the allegations in an attempt to resolve an issue that has added to tensions between the civilian government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the all-powerful military. But temperatures have failed to cool and in a lawsuit, the channel has now asked the powerful spy agency to retract its defamatory statements, publicly apologise and pay $500 million in damages. A spokesman for the military was not immediately available for comment.
April’s shooting of Mir sent a chill through the journalism community weeks after television anchor Raza Rumi was attacked in the city of Lahore. Rumi survived but his driver was shot dead. Although Pakistani media have become increasingly vibrant in recent years, with stories exposing corruption or injustices appearing frequently on the pages of the country’s many dailies, public criticism of the army or the ISI is largely taboo.
No one has claimed responsibility for the recent assaults, although the Taliban have made repeated threats against domestic and foreign reporters for portraying the insurgency in a negative light.
COMMENTS (72)
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@K: me too i love bashar momin
we in India stand with the freedom of press and worried that with fall of press democracy may not survive long. It is sad to see how some print and electronic media houses are competing with each other in appeasement of ISI and Army. They are digging their own grave.
by imposing such a little fine and punishment present govt has proved his close nexus with geo
@Sundus: Press freedom also comes with responsibility. Obviously much of the so called free media in Pakistan need to understand this. The PEMRA decision is hardly a sham but a logical outcome of childish behavior on the part of GEO. Your fear mongering about the nation and analogy of burning forests simply shows you do not understand the responsibility owed to society by the media.
This PEMRA decision is a sham but where can you go in Pakistan for justice – Chief justice is a party to the case by relationship to the accused Mir Shakeel, the PM and his party were elected thru vote rigging. The greatest crime is for GEO to pay a Rs 10M fine but to get back $500M. These actions clearly show Pakistan will not survive as a country, although nothing will happen to its people or their poverty. Of course the civil war in 2015 will damage the wealth of the rich. People know a whole forest burns from just one piece of dry grass catching fire from sunlight. When the whole Sharif family are selling out Pakistan, why look for traitors elsewhere.
@Irfan: So much for defence of freedom of expression in Pakistan. Surely in your eyes Establishment can do no wrong.
Geo and Jang Group asking the ISI for an apology? Are they really so powerful to even think of demanding the country's intelligence agency to apologise to them?
@Why ban?: You have just proven why Geo is not only be anti state itself but it is encouraging anti state behavior in people too. I believe the government should have shut down Geo a long time ago. I agree 100 % with its decision.
@Haq: In short they are the sub group of those media owners who are controlling by Zionist thugs in international media market.There was official Geo news web sites there emblem looked like Mossad emblem figure on that which they later removed.
Geo must have lot to show on sharif and his gang. No wonder they won't dare to shut this anti state channel down.
Personally I am very happy on this punishment because in my view no media outlet should be allowed to defame any citizen, but why only this action has been taken when a high ranking military officer is defamed and no action is taken when common citizens of this country are defamed and insulted by petty journalists and anchors. Respect and honour is equal for all and all must be treated equally. If common citizens have no honour and respect then presidents, prime ministers and generals of this nation have no respect. Don't we see how these dignitaries are treated in other countries? Its because we the common people are not treated well by these dignitaries in this country.
A BLACK DAY, NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN PAKISTAN!
Dear all who want to close Geo (and I have never cared for Mir Khalil and his group), why is closing Geo a good thing. Media, any media, is people's voice. Even the sarkari ones like ARY. Closing any of these is shutting people up. Why do you want to be shut up.
Just curious
Congratulations to the army on finally winning a war...... against their own people, their own media. Couldnt win any against the real enemy.
NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN PAKISTAN.
A BLACK DAY FOR LIBERTY (INQUILAB)
@H Chaudhry: U r genious
“Geo and Jang Group (have) served a legal notice on the Ministry of Defence, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority for defaming and maligning the group,” the channel said in a report published in a newspaper owned by the media house.
This is great news! David is fighting back.
This not about Geo, it is about we are going in the era of censorship in Media, imposed by the establishment.!!!! VERY SAD DAY FOR MEDIA IN PAKISTAN. LOST HOPE OF PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN.
The 'suspension and fine are mild considering acts committed by Geo. Its quite obvious that the the decision was made by 'Takth-e-Lahore'allies of Geo.
@Irfan: I am not satisfied with this decision. Their license should have been cancelled forever.
NOW I CAN SEE THE RECOMMENDATIONS BY PTI SOCIAL MEDIA MAFIA!!! WHAT A HYPOCRACY TOWARDS SO CALLED FREE MEDIA, NO MATTER PAKISTAN KA ALLAH HI HAFIZ HAY
@All not happy with decision. Why don't you guys simply switch the channel and not watch GEO. No one is asking you to watch on force correct. I want to watch GEO so let me watch.
Great decision and win win for all.
$100,000, you can't even buy a shack with that amount.
Good. And while we're at it, how about a Hamid Mir interview in the ET?
Military is above the law while everyone else has to obey it.
There is a misconception that Geo TV is a Pakistani News Channel, whereas it in NOT. Jang group is only the operator & a powerful mafia, acting on behalf of anti-Pakistan foreign elements. Its management has sold their souls for econimic benefit.
This channel is a part of PSYOP warfare, against Pakistan, Pakistan's idealogy & in hidden terms against Islam. Check the below link for Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds”,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_warfare
GEO should be banned forever for being anti state and irresponsible.
@Anonymous: This is non of your business :=)
Sueing the ISI....... Has any US group sued the CIA or a British one the MI6? Does the Pakistani constitution not have any clause in this respect. How would the ISI pay the 50 billion fine? Using the taxpayers money. GEO defaults on it taxes and expects the pakistani taxpayer to pay it.............. GEO is screwing the Pakistani taxpayers.
Albeit, I had already un-tuned Geo a couple of months ago for its inability to give impartial view but having said that, it should not be banned permanently.
@Anonymous: We hate Geo because ISI instructed us to hate Geo. You should ask ISI why it hates Geo? Please don't questions from us?
no freedom for media!!shame
If geo would have blame to other external agencies then would there be same punishment???
@Anonymous:
In Pakistan, anything promoting friendship with India is unequivocally considered as treacherous. It is considered treason.
Also, in Pakistan, anything against ISI and pak army is considered treason.
Geo has aired voices against ISI.
So they suffer.
We Indians think differently. Pakistanis think differently.
Many Pakistanis believe that Modi has won the elections because of support from RAW.
They love conspiracy theories. We hate them.
@Anonymous: For starters, it was Geo that aired the fake report that connected ajmal kasab with some pakistani village.. even today the villagers hate Geo for the lies... Kasab was in fact a brainwashed / paid indian and later shown regretting in the hospital asking 'bhagwaan' for forgiveness.
Geo Network channels should be banned forever in CABLE TV
Geo should be banned forever
Still no remorse for it's deeds? No apology but lawsuits?
This country is run by establishment and their biggest share in the failure of the country can't be denied.
This PEMRA decision is a sham but where can you go in Pakistan for justice - Chief justice is a party to the case by relationship to the accused Mir Shakeel, the PM and his party were elected thru vote rigging. The greatest crime is for GEO to pay a Rs 10M fine but to get back $500M. These actions clearly show Pakistan will not survive as a country, although nothing will happen to its people or their poverty. Of course the civil war in 2015 will damage the wealth of the rich. People know a whole forest burns from just one piece of dry grass catching fire from sunlight. When the whole Sharif family are selling out Pakistan, why look for traitors elsewhere.
Government playing a dirty game and wants to keep both parties (Geo and ISI) happy, otherwise this is not comprehensible because 15 days service suspension and Rs 10 Million fine is not enough for the sin committed by GEO.
Only 15 days!!!!!, should be at least one year.
Folks, Can someone enlighten me, why is Geo TV hated by folks in Pakistan? Don't give high level views like it is spreading terrorism or ani national sentiments etc...cite me some real examples please. As I am trying to understand what's going on.
Also, in my opinion the headline should be "Geo TV sues ISI", unless it is not a big deal in Pakistan :=).
..Indian
WTH ? just 15 days. It should had been atleast 3 months with Rs 100 million fine. No wonder PEMRA has proved themselves as Govt's stooge.
@Irfan: Apparently It is just to show off punishment as government never wanted to ban or punish those culprits of big media fish.
Why do we have to ban everything... why do we have to blame the government every time. We the people have the power, if you want GEO to shutdown then stop watching it. if there are no viewers there is not channel. it's as simple as that, if we the people don't have the power to do it, then how can the government. after all the most power is with us.
Democracy, Pakistan style! I wonder how long we have to wait before someone has to switch off the lights and give the keys to a competent country. If the press is made to shut up then what is there for us to live for?
....and ARY goes free without even a slap on the wrist........NOT RIGHT.
@K: People like you are the real sick enemies of the state. Self-obsessed, greedy, selfish and mean souls who take anything as far as their purpose is served. Sick nation.
PMLN, GEO: 1 People of Pakistan: 0
GEO terrorist acts exceed ethics of journalism, GEO owners are using this channel as Altaf used it's simple followers. Question here is not GEO as a news channel but a national news channel run, finance n dictated by elements against national interest. Not only GEO needs to be closed for good, but immediate issuance of red warrants against it's owners.
Rs 10 million and 15 days. Such is the penalty for traitors in Pakistan's democracy. What a victory for democratic forces.
I wish Geo resume its programmes soon and put an end to this debacle between these powerful institutions.
Every member of the PEMRA, should be suspended, sacked and sent home! They have no business to intercept, intervene or handle complaints of the Defence Ministry ot any other individual, a group or whatever. They must be invesigated and settled in the court of Law!!!
Rex Minor
I am with freedom of expression. ISI and GEO should now end this standoff.
I had to check the byline twice, as I wasn't sure an Express Group publication could post a relatively neutral piece like this one on Geo's predicaments. No wonder its partly a Reuters story.
Where are the criminal charges against the people involved in propaganda and anti-state activities? Mere 10 million rupees fine and 15 day suspension! PMLN is burying national institutions under its incompetence and corruption.
Geo suing ISI for defamation??!! Its like declaring our politicians as saints.
What about Geo Television (the drama one)? I have been waiting for Bashar Momin for 2 weeks!!
what a joke!!!
this is not a fair decision, after the damage that geo has done, it should have been banned permanently
@Irfan Apparently PEMRA failed to realize that it is bound to make you satisfy with its verdicts.
Joke of the day, government controlled PEMRA giving a token punishment to Government allied Geo
Mir Shakeel has won and people have lost. Very well done PEMRA & PML (N)
chalo.. it might be good for other media too.. as they should follow some ground rules.
it is not not pemra but the govt.decision to keep both the parties geo & isi happy
My parents, middle class, could pay that fine by ease!
I am not satisfied with this decision. Their license should have been cancelled forever.