CPJ asks Pemra not to act against Geo on spurious complaint

ISLAMABAD: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), like many other organisations inside and outside the country, says that it is greatly concerned by actions brought by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) against the Geo TV.

While the ISI has a string of failures in its record, the most glaring that of being unaware about the presence of Osama Bin Laden in the vicinity of Kakul for six years, it has the audacity now to ask for the closure of Geo television.

“In its complaint to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, the ISI accused Geo’s parent company, the Independent Media Corporation, of conducting a false and scandalous campaign undermining the integrity and tarnishing the image of state institution (ISI) and its officers,” says the CPJ.

The media regulator has the authority to shut down broadcasters based on such complaints, and has done so under previous administrations of Pakistan.“We call on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority not to act on this spurious complaint, and we call on Pakistan’s security services to recognise the critical role of the media and exercise tolerance and maturity,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ’s Asia programme coordinator. “The ISI is free to rebut allegations in the media but should not try to censor coverage.”

Tension between Pakistan’s military and intelligence communities and much of the media swiftly escalated following an assassination attempt on Geo TV anchor Hamid Mir on April 19. Mir was hit with six rounds from assailants on motorcycles as his car was travelling between Karachi’s airport and the centre of the city. Mir is severely wounded and recovering in a hospital. Geo TV has broadcast accusations that the ISI was involved in the murder attempt, adds the statement.

Harassment by the ISI against journalists is a matter of record and it is a rare journalist who has not been threatened by the ISI in their career. Journalists murdered in the past had made it known in their lifetime that if anything happened to them, the ISI would be responsible.

It is time for the ISI to take a hard long look at itself to try and find out why it is resented so strongly by independent journalists.It would also help matters if the army chief, instead of fire fighting and running to the support of various army institutes, begins to believe unarmed journalists who have serious complaints against the ISI for several decades now.