ISLAMABAD: If the Jang-Geo Group is really anti-Pakistan or is working on enemy’s agenda, it has no right to operate in Pakistan.
Since no less than the premier intelligence agency of the country — the ISI — has charged the Geo network with these serious allegations, it is now the agency’s responsibility to bring all the required material against Jang and Geo in the court of law and get them banned.
The ISI, in its petition filed with Pemra against Geo, charged, “Geo network has a history of acting illegally in furtherance of anti-Pakistan agenda. If required, material can be provided to the regulator.”
Why ‘if required’? It must be done because as per the claim of the ISI it involves the “furtherance of anti-Pakistan agenda”. If the ISI is so sure about the anti-Pakistan agenda of Geo and has all the material to prove its case, suppressing such material and not doing anything against Geo and Jang Group is like hurting the national interest.
The ISI should not wait for a call from Pemra. One is really astonished why the ISI has not provided the material showing that Geo-Jang is anti-Pakistan to the present government or the previous governments earlier.
Ironically, Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, leveled similar allegations in a public meeting on Friday. He has given credence to the ISI allegations. Only a few months back when Khan was provided “material” against Geo by a TV anchor in a live show, Khan was formally offered by the Geo management to get all these allegations probed by a committee of his choice and then decide if these allegations had any truth.
Asad Umar, a senior PTI senior, was also in the knowledge of this offer from Geo but despite the lapse of over two months, no probe has been conducted by the PTI leader.
I have raised these issues with the Geo-Jang management quite a few times and always found them confidently dismissing these charges. Instead, they say that the Jang-Geo management has already approached the court of law against such allegations. Here is a chance for the PTI leader, the ISI and anyone else who has any such material against Geo and Jang group to prove these allegations before the court of law. It would not only be a great service to Pakistan but a special favour to the employees, including me who think otherwise.
Last year when some of the allegations against Geo-Jang Group made headlines with respect to the Media Commission’s report, the Supreme Court sought details from Pemra, which had apologised to the Supreme Court over the statement regarding Geo TV’s awareness campaigns, including ‘Aman Ki Asha’ and ‘Zara Sochiye’.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, was hearing the case regarding a Pemra official’s statement that ‘Aman Ki Asha’ and ‘Zara Sochiye’ were foreign funded programmes.
Counsel for Pemra Zulfiqar Maluka had submitted a written apology before the bench and stated that Pemra apologised over its statement regarding members of media commission as they were respectful. The then Chief Justice had remarked that it was the non-serious attitude of the Pemra officials, as they should behave in a responsible manner.
Hamid Mir and Absar Alam, the petitioners in the case, had told the SC that they did not seek an apology from Pemra. Instead, they said they wanted Pemra to present evidence to prove its allegations.
These serious allegations are hurled time and again but there has been no probe as yet. As it has not been done earlier, the ISI and the PTI should get it done now for the sake of Pakistan.
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