Akhbar Farosh Union ends Jang Group’s boycott

LAHORE: The Akhbar Farosh Union, Lahore, has announced to end the boycott of Jang Group newspapers in Lahore, according to a press release issued by the union. The announcement came asa result of a meeting between the Jang Group’s Sarmad Ali and the president of the Akhbar Farosh Union, Lahore, Ch Nazir. The meeting was held in a cordial and positive environment.

Jang and Geo not provided proofs of anti-state activities, treason: spokesperson

Supreme Court and Prime Minister was requested to appoint commission for investigating serious allegations; Private channel ran tickers Khawaja Asif has seen proofs, defence minister denied this; Ministry of Defence referred application to PEMRA without seeing proofs; PEMRA also issued notice to Geo without investigation; Respect Pakistan Army, Jang editions and Geo programmes testify to this; Jang Group and Geo always served interests of country and nation while staying within ambit of constitution and law

KARACHI (Jang News): A spokesperson for Jang/Geo has said that in the application referred to PEMRA by the Ministry of Defence for action against Geo, they had complained about the news report regarding the attempt on the life of Hamid Mir and had alleged without any proof that the Jang Group is anti-state and traitor and has a history in this connection, and if proofs are sought, the Ministry of Defence could also provide the same.

When PEMRA took the action, Geo had immediately submitted its response to PEMRA stating that proofs of anti-state activities and treason should be sent urgently so that the complaint of the Ministry of Defence could be responded to. After this, a meeting of PEMRA was held. The respectful response of Geo was again submitted. Our lawyer Akram Sheikh and other officials verbally also stated repeatedly during the meeting that we should be provided proofs. After this, we also approached the Islamabad High Court and submitted there that allegations of anti-state activities and treason have been levelled against the Jang Group and Geo without any proof. Senior government representatives and PEMRA were repeatedly requested respectfully but despite this we have not been provided proofs till date.

After this, Geo repeatedly stated through advertisements in Jang and The News that we have not been provided proofs. In the advertisements, the Supreme Court and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had respectfully been requested that a commission be appointed for investigating allegations of anti-state activities and others against Geo/Jang Group.

The spokesperson said that different governments, different institutions and civil and military governments have also been levelling allegations of different natures against our group in the past because they differed with news reports, comments and programmes of our journalists. However, the Jang Group and Geo made concerted efforts for serving the interests of the country and nation while staying within the ambit of the constitution and law and the Jang Group and Geo always adopted positive attitude and asked the governments to prove the allegations in courts while journalists of Jang Group and Geo also proved their news reports true.

The spokesperson for the Jang Group and Geo said that the heinous and baseless allegations of anti-state activities and treason have been levelled against us, which have always been faced by the Jang Group and Geo courageously and boldly. Geo has also sent a Rs50 billion damages notice to PEMRA and the Ministry of Defence for calling it anti-state and traitor without any proof and defaming it.

The spokesperson said that journalists of Jang/Geo Group are facing threats because of this allegation and they are facing difficulties in discharging their professional duties. The spokesperson said that first the Ministry of Defence referred the application against Geo to PEMRA without seeing proofs and PEMRA too sent a notice to Geo without seeing proofs. It was duty of the Ministry of Defence and PEMRA to first seek proofs from the complainant, scrutinise it and then to forward it but both of them did not do so.

The spokesperson said we also want to say that the services of the Jang Group and Geo for the country and the nation are immortal and unparalleled. The organisation has suffered losses worth billions of rupees because of action against Geo. The spokesperson said that the Jang Group and Geo has always paid glowing tributes to the army for glorious services and as an institution, we immensely respect the Pakistan Army. Different articles and editions regarding the Pakistan Army published by newspapers of the Jang Group and innumerable exemplary programmes aired by Geo testify to this. Representatives of the army also lauded services of the Jang and Geo on different occasions. The Pakistan Army has never had any complaint against the Jang Group.

It is worth mentioning here that the organization has already tendered an apology for the news report aired regarding the attempt on the life of Hamid Mir. The spokesperson said that whatever Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif has said in an interview with ARY, had he also mentioned in the interview the issue of proof, there would have been no ambiguity. It may be recalled that ARY channel is constantly busy in propaganda against Geo. This channel started running tickers even in the midst of Khawaja Asif’s interview, saying Khawaja Asif has seen proofs. The series of tickers continued running till late night. However, Khawaja Asif tweeted very late in the night appealing to the people not to heed to the ARY tickers and to watch full interview attentively.

The spokesperson said we pray to Almighty Allah to guide us also towards the good and grant the patience, courage and fortitude as well as to grant us ability to remove mutual misunderstandings so that we can play our role for the progress of the country and nation. The spokesperson said that calling the Jang Group and Geo a traitor is a baseless and emotional thing so we hope, God willing, all misunderstandings in this regard will soon stand removed.

Why Jang Group’s other channels are off air, asks President SAFMA

KARACHI: President South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), Imtiaz Alam Tuesday asked that PEMRA had only suspended Geo News then why is it that Jang Group’s other channels continue to remain off the air.

“Attack on a section of media is tantamount to an assault on the entire freedom of expression,” Imtiaz Alam observed while addressing a seminar at Karachi Arts Council.

He said what channels of other media groups have done on the issue of Geo had actually muzzled the freedom of expression. “The media infighting has put the lives of hundreds of journalists in danger,” he noted.

President SAFMA further said no drums of celebration should beat on the blackout of Geo’s channels.

“PEMRA had taken a decision only against Geo News, then why the group’s other channels have continued to remain shut?” he asked.

Jang group vehicle attacked in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Vehicles of the Jang group continue to be targeted across Pakistan. In the latest attack a vehicle carrying the group’s newspapers was first hijacked and later burnt in Rawalpindi.

The incident took place at 2:00 AM on Murree Road. The attackers hijacked the vehicle and the driver was assaulted. According to the driver Muhammad Razzaq he was delivering newspapers to Islamabad when his vehicle was stopped by four armed men. Razzaq said he was blindfolded and was told he would not be allowed to deliver the papers.

After being assaulted, Razzaq was left on the roadside. The driver reached the Jang building in Rawalpindi and the hijacked vehicle was recovered at 9:00 AM. The attackers had set the vehicle and newspapers on fire. The newspapers were reprinted and sent for delivery.

This is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Jang group newspaper delivery vehicles. On May 25 a vehicle was attacked in Lahore. Attacks have also taken place in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

C’wealth media body concerned over attacks on Jang, Geo Writes to PM Nawaz

LONDON: Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) President Rita Payne has written a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressing concern on targeting the Geo TV and Jang Group.

According to a press release, Payne said during the past few weeks, many incidents of attacks on the media in Pakistan have surfaced. Attack on Geo TV anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi and torture on resident editor, Jang Multan, are aimed to muffle the voices of rivals, which is a cause of concern for the CJA.

Payne said she understands that it was time when journalists and editors would cross the line between reporting and intentional commentary on an issue. She said the hard-won freedom of press in Pakistan needs to be protected. She appealed to Nawaz to make sure protection of the media against torture and pressure.

Another Jang Group vehicle torched in Karachi

 

KARACHI: A vehicle of the Jang Group of Newspapers was torched by unidentified miscreants in the Aziz Bhatti Police limits in the wee hours of Monday.
Thousands of copies of Jang and The News were burnt to ashes. After coming to know about the incident, the Jang Group management printed the newspapers again and distributed these in the market.The incident of burning of the vehicle took place near Hassan Square, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, at about 4:30am.

New Town’s Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Nasir Lodhi said responding on information, the police immediately rushed to the spot where they found a hi-roof on fire and a driver was standing near it.

Police immediately called the fire fighters and extinguished the fire. Later, they questioned the driver of the van, Mohammad Nisar, who narrated that he was an employee of the Jang Group and it was his daily duty to deliver the copies of Jang and The News at various stalls of the city.

He said as per his daily routine, he was supplying copies of the newspapers at different stalls when near Hassan Square two unidentified armed miscreants came to him and asked about his identity.

The driver said he told the miscreants that he belonged to the Jang Group after which the miscreants took out a bottle of chemical and poured it on the vehicle which suddenly caught fire. The miscreants fled afterwards. The hi-roof contained thousands of copies which were reduced to ashes in the incident.Police have lodged an FIR and are investigating.

Jang Multan resident editor injured in brutal attack

 

MULTAN: Continuing their activities against the Geo TV Network and the Jang Group, miscreants attacked yet another senior member of the Jang Group. In the latest incident, armed men attacked Daily Jang Multan Resident Editor Zafar Aaheer and seriously injured him besides damaging his vehicle.
The attackers hit Zafar Aaheer with gun butts and injured him seriously. While fleeing, they also left behind live bullets of a Kalashnikov near his car. On Saturday night, the Jang Multan resident editor was going home from work when about six people riding two motorcycles and a car intercepted him near the Western Fort Colony. They smashed his car windowpanes and then hit him with their guns. Aaheer was shifted to hospital in a critical condition where he was given medical aid.

Zafar Aaheer said the attackers stopped him and declared him an agent of the Indians and Jews and said he (Aaheer) should be shot in his legs. The attackers also snatched cash and his mobile phone from him.

Zafar Aaheer said the assailants had covered their faces. They said: “You have escaped earlier and now you can’t. We are Pakistanis and love the armed forces, Sahaba-e-Karaam and Ahle Bait. You are an agent of the Jews and Indians.”

According to Aaheer, he told the attackers: “You can beat me as you will, but we will not be intimitated and the truth will ultimately prevail.” He said when people living in the vicinity gathered at the site, the assailants told them not to interfere in the matter.

Aaheer said his attackers neither loved Pakistan nor had respect for the armed forces, Sahaba-e-Karaam and the Ahle Bait. He said: “If they want to kill us, they should go ahead with their plans. We have been writing the truth and will keep doing so.”

He said he had called the senior editor and informed him about the possible suspects involved in the attack. He had also shared the details about the attackers, their language and style of speaking with the editor, Zafar added.

According to eyewitnesses, they woke up as a result of the noise made by the attackers and tried to inquire about the incident. An eyewitness said he was on his way to the fracas when a person pointed a gun at him and forced him to go back, saying “You have nothing to do with this. You must go back.” Later, the armed men left the scene.

Meanwhile, SP Cantt Mehmoodul Hassan said it was premature to comment on the incident as the police were investigating the matter. Aaheer was attacked while he was returning home from office, which suggested that the attackers were already there, the police official added.

Our Islamabad correspondent adds: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Sunday strongly condemned the attack on the resident editor of daily Jang in Multan, alleging the government of Punjab has miserably failed to curb the spiralling wave of crimes across the province.

In a statement issued here, the PTI spokesperson, on behalf of her party, strongly condemned what the spokesperson called the assault by unknown persons on a senior journalist in Multan.The PTI spokesperson lamented that women, children, journalists and all other segments of society were feeling increasingly insecure.

The spokesperson advised the provincial ministers to stop issuing statements and focus on the issues of governance in the province. Those involved in the attack on Zafar Aheer, the PTI spokesperson demanded, should be immediately arrested.

Masked men snatch Jang copies near Lodhran

 

MULTAN: In yet another attack against the Jang Group, unidentified armed men snatched copies of daily Jang from a delivery van and tortured the driver, warning him that he would be killed if he transported the newspaper again.
Seven people wearing masks stopped the vehicle at Kotli Morr and asked the driver – Sabir Shah – to hand over all copies of the daily Jang after snatching the car key and his cellular phone from him. They left the scene after warning him that his vehicle would be torched and he would be killed in case he transported daily Jang again.

The masked men also told Sabir that the driver supplying daily Jang to Rahim Yar Khan should be told to stop his routine; otherwise, his vehicle too would be torched, as they had four ‘checkposts’ on that route.

Giving details, Sabir said as a daily routine, he along with a colleague Ahmed and two passengers left Gujjar Khadda for Lodhran at 3:25am, as he supplies the newspaper from Multan on a route covering Station Adda Larr, Basti Malook, Makhdoom Aali, Lodhran, Dhanote and Karor Pakka.

As he reached the Bahawalpur Bypass, two cars started following him. At Kotli Morr, the armed men carrying pistols and Kalashnikov rifles intercepted his vehicle. While snatching the copies of daily Jang and threatening him of dire consequence, they also thrashed him. According to Sabir, the attackers were wearing shalwar kameez and speaking Urdu.

Our correspondent from Gaileywal said people expressed annoyance over the brutal act, saying they were deprived of their favourite newspaper.

What AI revealed was earlier censored by Jang Group

ISLAMABAD: The Jang Group was not publishing my stories for the last many days giving full details with evidence that Pakistan Army officials working for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) were directly, and in some cases indirectly, contacting cable operators and pressurising them to put the Geo News and other Geo channels off air without waiting for the decision of the constitutional governmentNow my exclusive stories are wasted, as an independent and credible international body, Amnesty International has come up with its report disclosing most of these facts.
I always wondered as to why Geo and Jang Group was not carrying my stories about ISI’s role in challenging the writ of the government and in shutting down Geo TV despite the fact that Geo channels were being blacked out across the country and Group was being badly pressed — one of the worst attacks on freedom of expression and independence of media following General Musharraf’s November 2007 Geo-specific censorship during which Geo News remained off air for 72 days.

This has been a basic principle across the world that intelligence agencies work under cover. But, during course of our investigative journalism, we easily tracked down the ISI networks, which, instead of working to ensure national security, were busy taming street cable operators to disturb Geo channels, and later close them. They were even found involved in incidents of kidnapping and torture, and evidence of such acts are present. Severe threats were being hurled at cable operators and others concerned to ensure that Geo remains blocked. All these facts were being reported but Jang Group’s top editorial management remained hell bent not to publish factual stories being filed with evidence and versions.

While Amnesty report came on scene on May 30, the investigative reporting to this fact that media is being badly censored and pressurised in Pakistan by the powerful institution of ISI were being filed since April 30. However, the Group continued to censor the stories in the name of national interest, while the Constitution, liberty of citizens, basic human rights, right of access to information, right to freedom of expression and independence of media were being compromised.

Not only involvement of the ISI officials in the instances of controlling cable operators, in some cases regular army officers, came on scene but also army vehicles were used to pressure the officials of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the regulatory body of electronic media.

It didn’t stop here. Two of Pemra private members, who are active against Geo, were in constant contact with intelligence agency officers. PPP leaders say that lawyer of ISI Babar Awan got Israr Abbasi inducted as member Pemra during the PPP government and now he remains in touch with the intelligence agency. He himself admitted that his initial so-called 13-pages fact finding report was prepared by officials of the intelligence agency.

Any highest level probe can check call records of these members, cable operators and officials to verify some of the facts. However, most the stories filed were stopped or edited in a way that name of the ISI was deleted or edited and people remain deprived of the facts.

Even the federal government was repeatedly asked to take action against officials of the intelligence agency and stop them from interacting with the cable operators or Pemra officials directly, as, in this way, writ of the government was being challenged. However, a weak prime minister and a weak government remained unmoved and silent and never initiated any action against the ISI officers or Pemra officers involved, and thus compromised its own writ. In latest events government officials are being attacked and tortured. A senior federal minister himself told this correspondent that a senior government official was kidnapped and later badly tortured. However, so far no action has been taken and despite having a democratically elected heavy mandated government, Pakistani citizens and media is being harassed by a state institution, and there is no one to help.

Jang Group being silenced apparently on military orders, says Amnesty

 

ISLAMABAD: Amnesty International, the world human rights watchdog, has said that up to 80 percent of the Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.
The Pakistani authorities should immediately investigate the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the military’s premier spy agency, over its alleged involvement in journalist attacks, said the Amnesty International on the third anniversary of the abduction and killing of journalist Saleem Shahzad.

“Failure to investigate such incidents thoroughly, impartially and transparently and to hold perpetrators accountable fosters a culture of impunity for attacks against independent media in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths, Asia-Pacific Deputy Director at Amnesty International.

In an open letter, Amnesty International and nine other human rights organisations called on the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfil his promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who attack journalists.

The nine other organisations are: Article 19 (UK), Human Rights Watch, Committee to Protect Journalists, Freedom House, International News Safety Institute, Internews, Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety, Pen International and Reporters Without Borders.

“Saleem Shahzad’s killing was one of the worst manifestations of the threats journalists face across Pakistan every day. The authorities’ inability to investigate officers of the ISI properly and bring to justice those responsible for Shahzad’s death is unacceptable – he was abducted in broad daylight in the heart of Islamabad, the national capital,” said David Griffiths.

“Pakistan must immediately restart the criminal investigation into Shahzad’s death, as has been promised by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on multiple occasions. Events of the past few weeks have again highlighted how precarious the situation for Pakistani media is. Continued impunity will only fuel the violence.”

Last month journalist Hamid Mir narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Karachi. He has accused the ISI of being responsible for the attack.

“According to Amnesty International’s research, the ISI is the state organ most regularly accused by journalists of carrying out harassment, intimidation or abuse against them or their colleagues. This does not necessarily mean that the ISI is always to blame. But if ISI officials are innocent of the accusations they have nothing to fear from thorough investigations and due process,” said David Griffiths.

“We cannot determine who exactly is responsible for these high-profile attacks against journalists until there is proper investigation. All suspects must be presumed innocent until proven guilty and afforded a fair trial in line with international standards.”

To demonstrate their expressed commitment to the rule of law and respect for human rights, Amnesty International calls on the ISI and all other state institutions to cooperate fully with the criminal investigations into the Shahzad, Mir and other attacks.

Saleem Shahzad, an Asia Times Online correspondent, was abducted on 29 May 2011 in Islamabad, and his body was found dumped two days later bearing marks of torture. Shahzad had written articles on a range of sensitive national security issues, including alleged al-Qaeda infiltration of the Pakistani military and the state’s relationship with the Taliban.

Less than a year before his death, Shahzad had told colleagues of an alleged death threat from the ISI. The Pakistani government in 2011 set up a high-level investigation into his death but key evidence mysteriously disappeared and no one has yet been brought to justice.

At least 34 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Pakistan since the restoration of democracy in 2008, but in only one case during this period have the perpetrators been brought to justice.

In a report released last month, Amnesty International documented how media workers in Pakistan live under the constant threat of harassment, violence and killings from a range of state and non-state actors.

Since the release of the report, a standoff between the country’s largest private broadcaster Geo TV (part of the Jang Media Group) and the authorities has intensified after the network accused the ISI of being behind the assassination attempt on journalist Hamid Mir.

Several Jang Media Group journalists have told Amnesty International that they have received daily threats and harassment by unknown individuals by phone and in person. Many dare not enter their offices or identify themselves as belonging to Geo TV or other Jang Media Group outlets for fear of being attacked.

“There is absolutely no justification for the vicious, organised campaign of harassment against Jang Media Group staff across Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“It is particularly disappointing that rival media channels and some political parties have joined the chorus to attack Jang Media Group, rather than demand a full and impartial investigation of the circumstances surrounding the attack on Hamid Mir.”

Some government officials have also tried to pull Geo TV off the air over allegedly “anti-state” and “blasphemous” content, and up to 80 percent of Jang Media Group’s distribution in print and on the airwaves has been disrupted by media industry bodies, apparently under the orders of the Pakistani military.

“Attempts to take Geo TV off the air are clearly politically motivated, and constitute a serious attack on freedom of expression in Pakistan,” said David Griffiths.“The last thing Pakistan needs now is a mudslinging campaign against Geo TV, the ISI or anyone else. Pakistan’s long-suffering journalists deserve protection from attacks and justice when they fall victim to abuse. It is the responsibility of Prime Minister Sharif’s government to deliver both. They should start by immediately resuming the investigation into Shahzad’s death.”

Following is the text of the letter:

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF

Joint statement of shared concerns about attacks on journalists in Pakistan

29 May 2014

Dear Prime Minister

Three years ago today, journalist Saleem Shahzad was abducted a short distance away from his Islamabad home and later found dead, his body bearing marks consistent with torture. We, the representatives of the undersigned group of civil society organisations working in human rights and media, call on you to fulfil your promise to end the impunity enjoyed by individuals and groups who threaten, attack, abduct, torture and kill journalists in Pakistan. In order to address these attacks on journalists, we urge you to follow through on the commitments you made in March, and as a first phase country for the UN Action Plan on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, and to take further concrete steps along the lines set out below.

Based on our collective experiences monitoring human rights globally, Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, judging by the severity and extent of threats and attacks on media professionals due to their reporting. Dozens of journalists have been killed in Pakistan in direct response to their work over the last decade. At least eight journalists have been killed since your government came to power in June 2013.

Journalists and other media workers from across Pakistan face harassment, abduction, torture and attempts on their lives by state intelligence officers, members of political parties and armed groups like the Taliban. Journalists reporting on national security and human rights, and those reporting from the conflict-affected northwest, violence-ravaged Balochistan and the city of Karachi are most at risk as they rarely enjoy protection from the state or support from their employers.

We are deeply concerned at the failure of successive Pakistan governments to carry out prompt, impartial, independent and thorough investigations into abuses against journalists, or to bring those responsible to justice. Attempts on the lives of Hamid Mir and Raza Rumi and the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad exemplify the enduring challenge to justice when journalists come under attack: as far as our organisations are aware, no one has been brought to justice for any of these attacks. Only in two cases of journalist killings have the perpetrators ever been convicted in Pakistan.

The failure to bring those responsible for attacks on journalists to justice sends a signal that the media can be silenced through violence and that the perpetrators can literally get away with murder and other abuses. It also has a chilling effect on freedom of expression in Pakistan, with journalists increasingly resorting to self-censorship to avoid the risk of harm.

It is the Pakistan government’s duty under international law to protect the rights to life, liberty and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of all individuals within its territory and under its jurisdiction, including journalists. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Pakistan must also ensure the media is free to carry out its critical function of facilitating and promoting freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the ICCPR. Journalists play a vital role in exposing human rights abuse. Ensuring that journalists are able to undertake their work free from harassment and abuse is therefore an essential cornerstone in the protection and promotion of human rights in Pakistan.

We call on your Government to urgently take the following steps, in line with Pakistan’s international legal obligations, so that journalists may carry out their work free from harassment and abuse:

* Re-start the criminal investigations into the abduction and killing of Saleem Shahzad, as promised by the current Pakistan government, and ensure that all potential suspects, including members of any military and intelligence authorities, are subjected to a full, independent and impartial investigation.

* Ensure prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into human rights abuses against journalists, including abductions, enforced disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment, extrajudicial executions and other unlawful killings.

* Ensure that all persons suspected of crimes involving human rights abuses against journalists, regardless of their status, rank or affiliation with state or non-state groups, are brought to justice in fair trials without recourse to the death penalty.

* Implement the Prime Minister’s announced plan to establish a public prosecutor at the federal and provincial levels tasked with investigating attacks against journalists, and ensure that it is independent, adequately staffed and resourced, and has authority to investigate the military and intelligence services in addition to civilians. Also implement the Prime Minister’s commitment to expedite the prosecution of the killers of journalists by changing trial venues and expanding witness protection programs.

* Ensure, in line with the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, that media companies adhere to requirements on due diligence, health and safety, among other standards in national law and policy; and introduce systemic legal and policy reforms where such requirements either do not exist in national law or are inadequate.

We welcome your concern about the situation for journalists in Pakistan and look forward to the Pakistan government taking real steps to improve the working environment for journalists in Pakistan.

Yours faithfully

1. Amnesty International – Salil Shetty, Secretary General

2. Article 19 (UK) – Thomas Hughes, Executive Director

3. Committee to Protect Journalists – Joel Simon, Executive Director

4. Freedom House - Karin Karlekar, Project Director, Freedom of the Press

5. Human Rights Watch – Brad Adams, Executive Director, Asia Division

6. International News Safety Institute – Hannah Storm, Executive Director

7. Internews – Jeanne Bourgault, President

8. Pakistan Coalition on Media Safety – Owais Aslam Ali, Head of Secretariat

9. Pen International – Ann Harrison, Programme Director

10. Reporters Without Borders - Christopher Deloire, Secretary-General

Van carrying Jang, The News bundles set on fire in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: A van carrying bundles of the Daily Jang and The News was attacked near Committee Chowk.

Eight to ten armed men attacked the van and set it on fire after dousing it with petrol. The van was travelling from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. The drive of the van remained was not hurt in the attack.

According to sources over 7,000 copies of the newspapers were burnt resulting in losses in the hundreds of thousands.

The driver of the van said he was dragged out of the vehicle and threatened. He added that the attackers were carrying pistols and Kalashnikovs.

In a similar attack unidentified bike riders set a vehicle carrying bundles of the Daily Jang and The News on fire in Lahore on Sunday.

Pro-army protest camp in front of Jang Group offices

KARACHI: In order to intimidate the employees of the Jang Group, a pro-army protest camp by a little-known organisation was set up on Wednesday at I.I. Chundrigar Road, just opposite the buildings that house several offices of Pakistan’s largest media house.

Calling themselves the “Citizens of Karachi”, the people in the camp blared national songs on loudspeakers for hours. The banner hoisted at the white marquee tent of the camp demanded the closure of Geo News.

Some posters of senior officials of Pakistan armed forces were also displayed at the camp. The employees of the Jang Group were visibly scared by the presence of people who were showing their hatred for the Jang Group in unequivocal terms.

Several employees were scared of coming out of their workplace as the ‘protesters’ kept a close eye on the movement at the gates of buildings. The banner accused Geo of blasphemy, a charge which the Geo and Jang Group had unreservedly apologised to Allah Almighty and the Muslims around the world.

The security of the employees of Jang Group became a major concern after certain sections of the media whipped up hate propaganda against the Group on the pretext of religion. Protests and demonstrations were held in many parts of the country and the Geo TV channel was illegally taken off the air and still continues to be absent from the cable in many parts of the country.

Lawyers, bar association condemn attack on Geo, Jang

KARACHI: Renowned lawyers and office bearers of different bar associations in Sindh, while expressing solidarity with the freedom of the press and the Jang Group, have termed the act of cable operators to shut down the Geo TV or putting it on last numbers ‘illegal and unethical’.

Prominent lawyer, constitutional expert and former judge of the Sindh High Court Justice (retd) Rasheed A Razvi condemned the act of cable operators of shutting down forcibly the country’s number one and most popular news channel Geo News and other channels of the group.

Razvi, while talking to this correspondent, was of the view that cable operators should not be allowed to decide about the closure, ranking and numbers of any TV channel. “They are just service providers, their role is just like the hawkers of newspapers and how can a hawker refuse to deliver a newspaper of our choice by saying that he does not agree with the policy of the paper?” he argued.

Rasheed Razvi urged the federal government to assert its authority and take action against the cable operators.

According to him, Geo and Jang Group had not crossed any legal or ethical limit. Razvi said the media was the fourth pillar of any state and in Pakistan the media had always remained at the forefront for the restoration of democracy and independence of the judiciary.He added the legal fraternity should also stand with the media as they stood with the lawyers community during the struggle for the independence of the judiciary.

President Sindh High Court Bar Association, Hyderabad, Nisar Ahmed Durrani, also termed the cable operators’ decision to put Geo on the last numbers and impose a self-appointed ban “against the law and principle”.

According to the Pemra rules, he said, cable operators are not allowed to push down or ban any TV channel.Durrani said that freedom of speech was guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan and all the institutions of the country, whether they liked it or not, came under the Constitution. “No institution is above the law. If anyone illegally or by force tries to curb press freedom by banning the Jang Group, the legal fraternity of Sindh will stand with the media and the Jang Group.”

Durrani said the legal fraternity could launch a protest move like it did for the restoration of the judiciary in 2007. At that crucial time when illegal and unconstitutional actions were taken, the media remained firm and stood by the lawyers and this time the lawyers will be with the media.

President Karachi Bar Association (KBA) Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed said that freedom of the press was essential in a democratic society and no institution was above the law.He termed the cable operators’ act to push the Geo TV channel to the last numbers or ban it on their own unlawful and said the Jang Group should move a contempt of court application against these operators.

“No cable operator has the right to decide the ranking or closure of any TV channel,” he said. “Pemra should also take action against this illegal act.”Ahmed said that nobody had the right to put the stamp of being a traitor on anyone. “As far as I believe, all staff members of the Jang Group are patriotic.”

Salahuddin also criticised other media institutions for continuing to spew venom against Geo and Jang Group. “They should remember that this will not stop only at the Jang Group, as the undemocratic forces and anti-media forces, which are against the independence of the media and freedom of expression, will also ban their institutions someday. The journalist community should strengthen their own ranks.”

Lawyers of the Larkana Division pledged to launch a protest campaign if Geo TV was banned.President High Court Bar Association Asif Soomro said that journalists had dedicated their lives to a noble cause and many journalists had sacrificed their lives.

He said that Geo and Jang Group are the voice of the whole country and no restriction in this regard will be accepted.He said the attack on Hamid Mir was an attack on the freedom of expression.

Courts block moves against Jang Group, Geo

 

 

ISLAMABAD: Similar petitions filed against the Jang Group and Geo in different parts of the country were blocked by the courts on Monday.
In Islamabad, Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended the order of an Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) and Justice of Peace Muhammad Jehangir Awan who had directed the Islamabad police on May 3 to register an FIR against Geo officials and journalist Amir Mir.

In Rawalpindi, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench, dismissed a petition and an application of a private person seeking Pemra to proceed against Geo TV.

In Bahawalpur, District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Rasheed Qamar dismissed on Monday a petition under Section 22-A for the registration of an FIR against Geo TV and the Jang Group. It was filed by one Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Bankers Colony, Bahawalpur.

In Faisalabad, Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Hussain Gul disposed of a petition submitted by Arshad Ali Awan advocate for the registration of a case against Geo News.

In Lahore, Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghulam Abbas Sial directed the SHO concerned to proceed strictly in accordance with the law.The Islamabad High Court bench also issued notices to the respondents in the two applications challenging the order of the ADSJ.

Faisal Iqbal Khan, Amir Abdullah Abbasi and Behzad Haider, legal counsel for the Geo officials and Amir Mir, contended before the court that the petitioner has no locus standi and the Ministry of Defence has already lodged a complaint with Pemra in this regard.

They argued that to file a complaint, it is necessary to access the police for registration of an FIR before coming to court. A station house officer (SHO) had intimated the ADSJ that the police received no such application but even then the judge ordered the registration of an FIR.

The lawyers argued that the attack on Hamid Mir was also outside the territorial jurisdiction of Islamabad.Meanwhile, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench, dismissed a petition and an application of a private person seeking Pemra to proceed against Geo TV under Sections 27, 30, 33 and 34 of the Pemra Ordinance 2002 and against the Ministry of Interior for lodging a complaint in terms of Section 196 CrPC against the management of the Geo TV network.

The petitioner through another application sought from the court to direct Pemra to stop Geo TV from airing programmes allegedly against the ‘sensitive’ institutions.LHC Rawalpindi Bench, however, dismissed both petitions and a detailed judgment is yet to come.

Petitioner Syed Khalil Hussain Shah Kazmi, a resident of Jhelum, made Pemra, the federation through the interior and information secretaries, Geo TV and the Ministry of Defence through its secretary respondents. He described himself as a social worker.

The petitioner alleged Geo TV has violated the provisions of the Pemra Ordinance. “Controversial and objectionable programmes” telecast by Geo TV after the attack on Hamid Mir are also covered by section 120-A, 120-B, 121 and 123-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), he contented.

The petitioner said that it is the primary duty of the federal government to defend and protect national institutions, particularly the institutions of national security and the armed forces.

The petitioner pleaded that the government should have not only ensured proceedings under the Pemra Ordinance but also launched a complaint under Sections 196 Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) against the management of Geo TV and others. The petitioner prayed to the court to direct the Ministry of Interior to lodge a complaint in terms of Section 196 CrPC against the management of the Geo TV network.

Ameen Abbasi adds from Bahawalpur: District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Rasheed Qamar dismissed a petition under Section 22-A for registration of an FIR against Geo TV and the Jang Group filed by one Ghulam Abbas, a resident of Bankers Colony, Bahawalpur, on Monday.

Before dismissing the petition in preliminary arguments, the judge asked the petitioner and his counsel, Zafar Iqbal Awan, whether the petitioner is an aggrieved person, and what locus standi he has for moving this application. He also asked if the two petitions about the same occurrence, filed by different persons before the Islamabad High Court and Sindh High Court, have been dismissed or not.

The judge asked whether the governement has not already moved an application to Pemra and whether a high-powered judicial commission, comprising three Supreme Court judges, has not been constituted for a judicial probe into the same matter. When the counsel was not in a position to explain the status of the petitioner and stated that he has no knowledge about it, the judge dismissed the petition.

The court observed that the petitioner, being a private person, has no locus standi to file this petition and ordered for filing the petition to the record room.

Our correspondent adds from Faisalabad: Faisalabad Additional District and Sessions Judge Muzaffar Hussain Gul on Monday disposed of a petition submitted by Arshad Ali Awan advocate for the registration of a case against Geo News.

The court asked Arshad to contact Pemra which was the appropriate forum. The Sargodha Road police told the court that the incident did not take place in their jurisdiction. So a case could not be registered on this application. After hearing the police version, the court disposed of the petition.

In the petition, Arshad took the stance that the army and the ISI had been ridiculed against the backdrop of an attack on Hamid Mir. The petitioner said he contacted the police for the registration of the case and submitted the petition after the police refused to file it.

The petition had made the Faisalabad capital police officer, Amir Mir, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Geo directors and the Sargodha Road SHO party to the case. Our Correspondent adds from Lahore: Additional District and Sessions Judge Ghulam Abbas Sial on Monday directed the SHO concerned to record the statement of the petitioner on the plea seeking the registration of a criminal case against the management of Geo News, Amir Mir (brother of Hamid Mir) and other group officials.

The judge directed the SHO Islampura to record the statement of the petitioner and proceed strictly in accordance with the law if any cognizable offence was made.Earlier, the SHO Islampura had submitted his statement contending that the matter did not fall in his jurisdiction, while there had also been no cognizable offence. He had said a commission had been constituted on the issue and police could not take any initiative before the findings of that commission. The application which was submitted to him was not maintainable, the SHO added. Moreover, the competent authority in the matter was the Defence Ministry which filed a complaint before Pemra — the competent forum to redress the points raised by the petitioner.

The Geo News counsel, Salman Faisal, had argued that according to the Pemra Act, no petition could be filed; therefore, the application had no standing and was not maintainable.As per the case details, the petitioner, Aftab Virk, had alleged in his petition that Amir Mir intentionally spoke against a state institution without any solid evidence.

Ulema rejects allegations against Jang Group/ Geo

KARACHI: Lauding Jang Group Services for the country, Ulema and religious scholars dubbed allegations against the country’s largest media group as violation of religious and ethical norms.

Mufi Naeem of Jamia Binoria said that the Jang Group’s record of 75 years shows it stood by nation whenever it stuck in any difficult situation.

Tehreek-e-Ahle Hadith chief Prof Younis Siddiqui said the Jang and Geo policies filled people’s hearts with the love for Pakistan.

Chief of Idara Tanzeemul Makatib Allama Syed Razi Jaffar Naqvi said that treason allegations could not be leveled against anyone without substantial proves.

Allama Kokab Noorani also expressed similar views and said nobody could be declared traitor without proofs

Jang Group/Geo employees, offices under threat

 

KARACHI: The Jang/Geo management on Friday urged the civil and military authorities to take notice of the “relentless campaign” against the largest media group of Pakistan and provide security and protection to its employees and offices.
In a letter written to the top civil and military leaders, including the army chief and interior and information ministers, the Jang/Geo Group management said since the April 19 attack on Hamid Mir incidents of intimidation of its staff had increased to an alarming level.

“They have been taken to a level now where our employees clearly feel threatened and fear they could be attacked on the way to the Geo offices,” the letter said.

“We are apprehensive that any day anything could happen. The campaign of vilification and physical threat is being taken to a higher pitch every day.”

The letter, copies of which were also sent to the home secretaries, top police officials and director generals Rangers and Inter Services Public Relations, said these incidents assume an alarming perspective when seen against the backdrop of statements emanating from official ‘uniformed’ quarters.

“We have been accused of being anti-state, anti-army … in short, we are being accused of being traitors… our employees, contributors, distributors and editorial writers are now being targeted. They are being followed, accosted on the streets, (and) sent threatening letters. A sustained and relentless campaign of harassment and intimidation has been unleashed,”

said the letter adding that attempts were being made to shut the media group down.

In this context, the recent speech of the GOC Hyderabad in which he called the Geo/Jang Group “anti-state, anti-Islamic and working on a foreign agenda” remains a case in point, the letter added.

“The statement of another Maj. Gen. to the effect that ‘those wanting to buy cameras should wait; Geo’s cameras are about to be auctioned’ are the cause for much concern.”

The Jang/Geo Group said it does not wish to make a difficult situation worse, but would like to bring all these threatening statements and incidents of intimidation on the record.

“All these incidents seem to be part of a well-planned campaign to shut Geo down and harm our people and property,” said the letter which quoted a number of incidents in which the Jang/Geo Group staff members have been targeted in recent days.

Giving details of the recent cases of harassment of its employees, the letter said: “Unfortunately, not only do these incidents have an official stamp about them, reports coming from all over Pakistan show official backing and encouragement.”

The letter quoted the case of Geo cameraman Asif Kabeer who was attacked and severely beaten on Tuesday as he was going to cover the Jamat-ud-Dawa and Al-Muhammadia Students rally in support of the Pakistan Army and ISI in Rawalpindi. “They called him an Indian agent and threatened to kill him.” In another incident, the residence of the investigative reporter of The News, Imdad Soomro, was attacked and burnt in Sehwan. The incident was reported in The News and Jang on Thursday.

The group chief executive also faced an embarrassing situation when he visited his lawyer. His bullet-proof car was parked at a distance from the lawyer’s office. As the chief executive entered the office of his lawyer, the police and private guards went to a restaurant for a meal. Benefiting from this situation, some people tried to smash the car window with iron bars and stones. According to some Jang Group employees, attackers have come on motorcycles and sped away after roughing them up. They openly ask the victimised Jang/Geo Group employees to apologise. The social media is also full of such intimidation.

Geo’s Karachi Bureau Chief, who has been staying at the AKU ever since the attack on Hamid Mir, is constantly followed and called a “traitor” (Ghaddar). When he confronted his follower, he was told ‘Hamara kam hae aap pe nazar rakhna’ (It’s our job to keep an eye on you), the letter said.

“One of the editorial writers of The News received a phone call at 4 am on Wednesday in Islamabad; he was told to stop writing for The News and threatened with dire consequences if he didn’t. He found an envelope slipped under the door containing the same threat. The same letter was delivered to his Karachi residence as well.”

The letter from Jang/Geo added a large number of Jang Group agents and hawkers have been denied access to many localities and have been told not to carry and deliver Jang or The News. Similarly, many agents all over Sindh and Punjab have received telephone calls ordering them to stop selling ‘Ghaddar’ newspapers, the letter said.

The letter said many employees, including female staff members, in Karachi and elsewhere were being followed from home to office and on assignments. “If they confront the followers, they are told ‘you are working for Geo, which is a traitor organisation. Stop working for them otherwise we will take care of you. We know the names and addresses of all your brothers and sisters’.

“On Wednesday, the Geo office in Islamabad was surrounded by an unruly mob. They chanted slogans accusing us of being anti-state. Some of the people were seen carrying petrol canisters. The slogans raised branded us anti-state, anti-army, traitors and Wajibul Qatal (liable to be killed). The police stood by and took no action.”

The Jang/Geo management said copies of this letter were being sent to every person responsible for providing security and protection.

“We call upon all of you to take note of this relentless campaign against the largest media group of Pakistan and take necessary steps.”

The media house urged the civil and military leaders to instruct the relevant police officers all over Pakistan to meet the Jang/Geo management and discuss security steps which need to be taken immediately.

“Failing this, we will have no recourse but to appeal to international missions and journalist associations all over the world, inform them of this threat to the lives and property of our group and our employees in an attempt to silence the voice of the largest media group in Pakistan,” the letter said.

Jang Group boycott by PTI chief a bid to fool nation: PPP leader

LAHORE: Hyder Zaman Qureshi — senior vice-president of PPP south Punjab — said the press conference by PTI chief Imran Khan in which he announced a complete boycott of Geo News and Jang Group after one year of the general elections was another gimmick to fool the nation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Qureshi said the abrupt position vis-a-vis a media group and the former CJP almost a year after the general elections was shocking and equally disturbing to say the least as it raised many questions for the PTI brigade to answer.

He asked what had happened that forced Imran Khan to blast and target a media group and the former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP). “Does Khan Sahib think the people of Pakistan are so naive and ill-informed or does he think he can play around with their perceived political immaturity or a memory lapse phenomena?”

He asked why it took Imran 12 months to finally realise and identify the real bad guys behind the alleged election rigging and the warehouse where the punctures were sorted out. “Did Khan not know this when he was all praise for the former CJP in Court Room No 1 and rendering an unconditional apology to the former CJP and when he had to eat his own words,” questioned the PPP leader.

Qureshi further asked if Khan had not spotted the so-called rigging nexus (Geo and the former CJP) when he used to praise the media group and its coverage and programming content and independence in dozens of media programmes, including ‘Capital Talk’.

Qureshi also questioned the timing of the sudden move and said Imran opted to speak against the Jang Group at a time when it was being targeted and involved in an unpleasant situation with the armed forces that mattered for all Pakistanis.

“Did Khan realise and formulate conclusively that the media group was the real engine of rigging and for creating perceptions in favour of the PML-N in winning the elections,” the PPP leader asked.

Why Imran did not respond to Jang Group’s notice — the real story

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan has developed a habit of hurling baseless allegations against the Jang Group, apparently at the behest of angels.

After losing the May 11 election, he had been crying of rigging. First, he accused the judiciary and now the Jang Group of depriving him of an imminent victory, which the angels had assured him.

Last year, when Geo Television Network’s winning the bid of rights of Pakistan vs Sri Lanka cricket tournament series caused sleepless nights for local media and dark hidden forces, Imran came out with so-called allegations that Geo was favoured by Najam Sethi, the then acting chairman of Pakistan Cricket Broad. However, Imran kept a mysterious silence over a similar series rights (Pakistan vs South Africa) awarded to an Indian sports channel in which Zee TV owns 95% of the shares and is headquartered in Mumbai.

Here are some facts for Imran Khan: This was the first time that a Pakistani TV channel had acquired world rights of an international series with the responsibility to produce in High Definition and the venture was only set to upgrade the standards and expertise of a Pakistani company and production resources.

Importantly, Najam Sethi had no role whatsoever in the bids process of the two series rights. The entire process of award of media rights to sports channels was done through Pakistan Cricket Board’s bids committee. Regarding Pakistan Cricket Board’s bids committee that awarded Pakistan-Sri Lanka series rights to Geo Super after transparent and competitive bidding, it is stated that its chairman was none other than Ehsan Mani.

Mani is a former ICC president and has managed ICC’s bundling of commercial rights since 2000. It included media rights for ICC events that valued millions of dollars. He has also successfully managed media rights for West Indies and South Africa and also PCB since 1993. He has been one of Trustee of 15-member Board of Trustees of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital. He also has been Chairman Audit Committee of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital.

Other members of the bids committee included PCB Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmed — Masters in Business Administration with 19-year experience in cricket. He has worked with the ICC and wrote the contingency plans for ICC Cricket World Cups in 2003 and 2007; Chief Financial Officer Badar M Khan — Chartered Accountant with pertinent experience of cricket finances and good business practices; Member of PCB’s Governing Board Rafiq Bughio who oversaw and monitored the entire process, and an independent member Justice (R) Shabar Raza Rizvi, former judge who authored the report of Sri Lanka team attack. The whole process was monitored by an independent audit firm Ernst and Young, one of the leading audit firms hired to observe and report on the bid process for transparency.

The bidding committee submitted its recommendations to PCB governing board for approval after finishing their proceedings. This transparent process helped sell media/ broadcasting rights both for South Africa and Sri Lanka at a price more than what it got from the 5-year media rights deal which it had with an India-based sports TV channel for the same South Africa and Sri Lanka series played in Dubai/ Abu Dhabi. In fact, the PCB got around $1 million more from this South Africa and Sri Lanka series as compared to what it got in the last series played against both the countries at the same venues in the UAE.

Geo TV did bid in 2008 for securing media rights for five years, however, these rights were not given to Geo TV, though Ehsan Mani was heading the Bids Committee at that time too. Ten Sports got the contract for 5 years, which expired in 2013. In the case of Pak-SL series, it was the PCB Governing Body which approved the media rights contract and Najam Sethi remained out of this process.

It should be remembered that the Jang Group had issued a notice to Imran Khan for leveling basesless allegations at that time which made Imran angry. Instead of replying to the Jang notice, a hue and cry was made on the pretext of freedom of speech. The Jang Group then sent to Imran all the record showing its clear position and asked him to get the record examined through independent auditors. He should have replied to the notice then so that the Jang Group could move courts to prove his allegations wrong. The Jang Group did not pursue the notice and kept waiting for Imran Khan’s reply till todate. Now Imran had again started leveling the same allegations and Jang Group will have to also pursue its notice. Particular people including Lal Top Wala are following angels’ agenda on a particular channel. Imran Khan has visited that particular channel for five times. The Jang Group has moved courts against this particular channel.

Regarding the bidding process, Imran Khan is informed that the PCB floated a tender for two home series at different venues in the UAE - one against South Africa and the second against Sri Lanka on August 8, 2013. Against which, technical and financial proposals were sought from the interested parties. Two-stage tender process involved opening of financial and technical proposals, of which, the later was to evaluate financial standing, prior sports broadcasting and television production experience, details of company ownership including parent company/ share holdings etc and international distribution plans in case if their bids are successful.

On 30th of August, after careful evaluation, the Bids Committee approved India-based TV channel and Geo TV’s technical proposals and proceeded to the second round of opening the financial proposals. According to the process laid out, the Bids Committee announced reserve price for each series before opening of financial proposals which was not met by either Ten Sports or Geo TV for both series after which both parties were given the opportunity to submit revised offers the next day i.e. August 31, 2013 by 10 a.m. In the second round, Geo TV’s financial offer exceeded the reserved price for Sri Lanka series whereas India-based TV channel retained its original offer which was still lower than the PCB reserve price and not capable of acceptance by any standard and hence Geo TV was declared the successful bidder for Sri Lanka series. On South Africa series, both Geo and India-based sports TV channel could not meet the PCB reserve price and bidding committee decided to award rights to India-based sports TV channel on the basis of comparatively higher offer, though this offer was around $0.8 million, less than the reserve price fixed by the PCB.

The PCB, however, in line with a term of bidding document awarded contract to India-based sports TV channel without further negotiations. However, no one, including Imran Khan, raised any objection for the reasons best known to him.

Importantly, Abdul Rahman Bukhatir had sold 50% stakes in the company (Ten Sports) to India-based Zee TV Network for $57 million in November 2006 with Zee further acquiring further 32.2% stakes against $31 million in February 2010 and finally adding another 12.8% stakes against $13.4 million to take up its stake in the company at 95%. With the completion of 95% of control in Ten Sports by Zee, the corporate headquarters are now based in Mumbai and the entire up-linking operations of channel have now been shifted to Noida in India.

Ten Sports was the rights holder of Pakistan home series during the term 2008-2013 and in this period major changes in its parent company’s shareholding took place. Most television broadcasting agreements done by cricket boards do not allow such changes of corporate/ management controls without prior written consent by the cricket board concerned. In this case, the PCB can clarify whether it actually provided its consent to Ten Sports to continue working as its host broadcaster during the period 2009-2010 when India-based Zee Network gained 95% controlling shares of the company. Imran Khan preferred keeping mum when Indian channel had all the media rights for five years and only woke up when Geo got the rights of only one series.

Imran boycotts Jang Group, accuses it of influencing polls

 

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, on Friday accused Geo TV of being a part in rigging during the 2013 general elections and announced to boycott the Jang Group and the channel.
Talking to media persons here, Imran said that no PTI representative would appear on Geo or subscribe to the Jang Group newspapers till the time the private television apologised for its role in the rigging.

Imran demanded of the government to investigate through an independent commission the foreign funding coming to the media houses, including Geo, which had allegedly received money from the US and other foreign sources.

He justified his party’s decision to take to the streets against the “unprecedented rigging’ in the last year’s general elections and singled out the returning officers (ROs) for their role in the irregularity, saying that he would not let this go without a probe.

Imran noted that PTI candidate for NA-118 had to pay a total of Rs5.2 million for thumbprint verification of voters, the election tribunal and lawyer fee, and it was found that out of 325 bags, 170 were opened while only 69 had all the requisite documents.

He continued that out of 170,000 votes cast in the constituency, only 81,000 had either partial or complete record and more importantly, 70 bags did not belong to the Election Commission of Pakistan but were altered.

The PTI chairman pointedtribunals to going to the Supreme Court (SC) and raising the issue in the National Assembly.“This was simply because the PTI did not want to destabilise the government. Never at any time did the PTI accept the rigging that had clearly taken place in general elections 2013,” he noted.

Imran asserted that almost a year had passed and neither the tribunals nor the SC had given any decisions on their petitions. PTI’s demand for thumbprint verification in only four constituencies had still not been acceded by the ECP and the petition for the same remained undecided by the SC.

The PTI chairman said that his party had been left with no option but to come out on to the streets to protest the rigging so that future elections were made transparent and fair, or people would lose faith in the entire electoral process.

“Others will assume that the only way to win is through rigging. And the unprecedented turnout of youth and the urban professionals who came out to vote will again retreat and they won’t bother to cast their votes. This bodes ill for the future of democracy in Pakistan and the PTI will not allow this to happen,” he noted.

Imran pointed to the ‘questionable role’ of the ex-chief justice of Pakistan, the ROs and the Election Commissioners from the Punjab and Sindh in aiding and abetting rigging, along with the now infamous 35 punctures of the then Punjab acting Chief Minister Najam Sethi, who had been duly rewarded.

He drew attention to the comprehensive PTI White Paper on rigging as well as the Fafen report.The PTI chief recalled when thumbprint verifications were ordered and then Nadra chief complied in NA 118, Babar Sattar stated that the Nadra chief was threatened by Rana Sanaullah and then removed. The IHC decision on Nadra chief’s removal corroborated this statement.

It is interesting to note that for other reasons, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which was in power, had also boycotted Geo for some months but had to return to it on its own. PTI’s boycott of Jang Group was discussed during the recently held Core Committee meeting and more deliberations were held in a select group of party leaders.

Party insiders told ‘The News’ that the boycott of the leading media group, which been in the forefront in projecting the PTI, would be counterproductive, as ultimately Imran would have to end it, as had the PPP.

Jang and Geo largest media group, won’t be banned, says Sana

 

TOKYO: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Thursday said the issue of restrictions on Jang and Geo should end after Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’s final and clear statement on it.
In a special talk with Jang ere, he said the Jang-Geo Group is the largest media group in Pakistan and it won’t be closed, adding, the government had no intention to ban any media group. He said the circumstances originating from the murder attempt on Hamid Mir were troublesome but the government stuck to its stand on the freedom of expression, as press was an important pillar of democracy.

He further said everyone was satisfied with the recovery of Hamid Mir and the Centre was assisting the provincial government in investigating the attack and arresting those responsible for it.

Rana Sanaullah remarked that the army and the media both were national institutions which had to resolve matters through mutual understanding, avoiding blame-game.He said Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif had formed an exemplary system for resolving the problems of overseas Pakistanis and its fruits would become visible in the near future.