KARACHI: Cable operators continued to defy the orders of Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) and Supreme Court pertaining to the restoration of Geo Network channels across Pakistan.
The channel’s transmission had earlier been suspended on June 6, 2014 on the complaint filed by the Ministry of Defence. A fine of Rs10 million had also been imposed on the channel.
A notification (dated June 20, 2014) issued by PEMRA states that Geo News is allowed to resume transmission at 12am on June 21, 2014, however, cable operators have claimed that they have not received any such notification and continued to defy PEMRA and Supreme Court orders.
The notification directs all the regional offices to direct distribution networks in their respective regions to begin relaying Geo News at the above mentioned time and date.
A special reference has also been made to the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The order states:
2. The grievance of the applicant, as raised by its senior counsel, was that the PEMRA was not abiding by the report of Mediator and the subsequent orders passed by this Court on it. Raja Muhammad Ibrahim Satti, learned Sr. ASC for PEMRA was present in the Court as a Caveator along with Mr. Zahid Malik, Head of Legal Department, PEMRA, and on instructions from Mr. Zahid Malik, Raja Muhammad Ibrahim Satti, learned Sr. ASC stated that the PEMRA shall abide by the terms of order dated 13.08.2012 passed in Constitution Petition No.51 of 2010, by which the report of Mr. Javed Jabbar, the Mediator, was made part of the said order and that the PEMRA will ensure that there is no shifting of the channels contrary to or in violation of the order dated 13.08.2012
The PEMRA notification directs all regional general managers to strictly comply with the above quoted orders by directing all distribution networks to restore Geo News to its original position to avoid any contempt of proceedings in the Supreme Court.
ARY News, which was suspended by PEMRA on Saturday, continued to be relayed by cable operators on their networks.
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