ISLAMABAD: Information Secretary of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Mushahidullah Khan on Friday cautioned in the Senate that “no channel will remain open if Geo was shut down”.
Speaking in the House on a motion moved by the opposition senators to discuss the latest political situation, the PML-N legislator also insisted that the media should forge unity in their ranks, or the freedom they had won by rendering sacrifices, would go back to those forces from whom it was won.
The senator acknowledged the struggle rendered by Geo and the Jang Group. “Those whose policies led to the martyrdom of thousands of military men, civilians and got the Lal Masjid attacked should not be punished but Geo should be shut down,” the senator caustically observed.
He said it was too much to display the image of the ISI chief and resort to the allegations and added the derogatory content about the Ahle Bait was also highly condemnable. He contended that all, including politicians, the media, intelligence agencies and military generals, made mistakes and referred to the Kargil war during which he claimed that 3,000 soldiers were martyred. “All commit mistakes but it does not mean that the one who made a mistake should be crushed,” he said.
Mushahidullah contended some institutions have had their own mechanism of accountability but it should be seen being implemented. “No one asked Musharraf till now about the Kargil debacle but Hamid Mir, who received six bullets in his body, is being ridiculed,” he maintained.
The PML-N lawmaker said that whatever today was happening was being done by the supporters of Musharraf, who might be in the media, or living in Canada, Bani Gala or Lal Haveli. “When all targetted Geo, the leader of a political party Bahadur Khan also stepped in,” he noted.
Later, winding up the debate, Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch alleged that Musharraf and his supporters and politically immature persons wanted to sneak into power corridors.
The minister was confident that the government was in a position to resolve the media issue immediately but would wait since it was sub-judice. He claimed those on the look to see packing up of the democratic set-up would be disappointed soon.
He assured the House that the issue would not be dragged for long and said the government, masses and the armed forces were fully aware of the challenges and the events that had recently taken place in India, Afghanistan.
PML-Q Senator Rubina Irfan, earlier, said the attack on Hamid Mir was condemnable and presenting on TV the head of top spy agency for eight hours was even more condemnable. PPP’s Senator Sardar Ali Khan said that the statement of finance minister to reduce taxes if the Ministry of Defence cuts the defence budget was uncalled for and provocative.
He alleged the government was following policy of confrontation with the State institutions. He asked the government to move for a patch-up and reconciliation vis-a-vis the media crisis. The bill to amend the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee was unanimously passed. It would allow Islamabad High Court chief justice to also be a part of the Judicial Commission. Similarly, the House also adopted a bill to repeal the Federal Court Act, 1937.
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