Update @ 0055: Geo TV Pulled off air from Dubai

About a few hours ago, Geo TV (www.geo.tv) which is a private tv channel that is financed by private investors in Pakistan, and broadcast (land to air) from their base in Dubai were ordered by the UAE government after being pressurized by the Pakistani Military/Musharaff’s government to shut down the television station from broadcasting to their network across the globe from Dubai, and Geo has been served a notice to shutdown by the government in Dubai. Geo TV was one of the few media networks who continued to broadcast information to a global audience on accurate happenings in Pakistan despite the censorship that was in effect since 3rd November.

Tonight, at 2000 GMT, Geo TV were stopped from broadcasting at their editorial base in Dubai.

GEO’s story by GEO

Geo News TV closed down (Posted at 0105)

Under extreme pressure from Musharraf government, Geo News has been shut down late Friday night. This is the latest move by the government to slap the curbs on media especially Geo TV Network, which has been off air with all its entertainment channels since the imposition of emergency.

Earlier, Geo TV network has been ordered to shut down by authorities of the country from where it is being aired. Now, the telecast of Geo News would not be viewed even through dish antenna.

It was told from the authorities of the country where the Geo News is being aired that the news channel would be off air across the globe.

It should be noted that Geo news and its entire sister channels had been closed down across Pakistan after the imposition of emergency.

Earlier, the cable operators in Pakistan were forced to close all channels being operated by Geo Network and the Pakistani viewers were deprived of the great source of information. However, the Geo TV was on air from its Dubai office.

According to Geo News, it was told to the network by the authorities of the concerned country that viewers across the globe would be able to watch the other channels of Geo Network including Geo Entertainment, Aag TV and Geo Super over Dish antenna.

Geo News analyst Dr Shahid Masud said that it is appreciable that Geo administration did not surrender from its viewpoint.

According to Geo TV network, it did not surrender to the will of the government and did not sign any paper of compliance with the government, for which it has been punished that its worldwide telecast is being gagged.

According to Geo News analysts, while nearly all other entertainment channels were allowed to operate freely; however, most discriminately, its entertainment channels were also made off air.

On this occasion, Senior Geo News analyst Kamran Khan, Host of Capital Talk Hamid Mir, Dr Amir Liaquat Hussein, Geo News Senior analyst Nasir Beig Chughtai, Justice (rtd) Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, Senior defence analyst (Rtd) Talat Masud and British member of Parliament Mohammed Sarwar expressed their grief over this government step regarding closing down the Geo News network and condemned this fresh government attack on the media.

It should be noted that nearly all the news channels of the country were taken off air, as soon as the emergency was announced in the country. PEMRA hammered out code of conduct for the media to follow and it was said only those channels would be allowed to operate if they fall in line with the government wishes.

More updates on PakistanPolitics.net | CNN


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Comments

12 responses to “Update @ 0055: Geo TV Pulled off air from Dubai”

  1. Claude Almansi Avatar

    Sad day for info freedom for everyone. From Updates on pkpolitics.com:

    Dear Visitors,
    I hope you enjoyed the political debates on pkpolitics.com since the beginning of the site. With the closure of Geo and ARY, I am not sure if I would have any new content to put on the site from tomorrow.
    I will contact all the TV hosts I know and share their views and plans with you. In the meantime, you can continue to discuss your views or share any links containing News and Videos on pkpolitics.com.
    God Bless Pakistan!
    Admin Pakistan Politics

    pkpolitics.com also has 5 “farewell videos” by Geo journalists. See the users’ comments too. Several say Geo will be back when Pervez Musharraf goes: soon.

  2. Saad Avatar
    Saad

    In a way I am not surprised, GEO was the only channel in my opinion that was mostly anti government, can’t blame them either, I am pretty much anti government the way things are going in Pakistan. A lot of unlawful acts have been taken place in Pakistan by the government, and there is no denial now that the govt. is corrupt it has broken the constitution regulations (interfering with the judiciary and restriction of media), all I have to say is it was only a matter of time, and I think the fate of Musharraf will be equivalent to Zia-ul-haq again just a matter of time. This is the only way to take Musharraf out of his power, America won’t do anything because they are supporting Musharraf in every step.

  3. GEO musraf Avatar
    GEO musraf

    its good i am happy with this news..geo was over reacting

  4. asa Avatar
    asa

    Geo is a News channel; not a political party. Their programs were neither anti or pro government. I respect the fact that the organization did not compromise on its principles to bring truth to the viewers; no matter what odds were against them. It is a sad day today. However I firmly believe that TRUTH can not be suppressed for long. I pray that the channels re-open its offices in a country where Freedom of Speech is not considered a crime.

  5. Omair Farooq Avatar
    Omair Farooq

    Well its sad to see the dictator in our country block the only naes if accurate and latest news to us. Now i am thinking that while sitting away from home, how would i get to know that whats going on back in my country.And it makes me even more sad to see that people in our country arent allowed to even hear the truth,let alone speak it. MAY ALLAH give us all guidance and protect us from the dictators who have occupied our land. In the end i would like to appeal to the UAE Govt to let GEO and ARY come back on air again because they werent doing any harm to their Country neither to ours. For GEO n ARY ONE WORLD i would like to say job well done and inshallah as soon as Musharraf meets the fate of his predecessors we wll again see you people back on air waves across the globe and Inshallah we shall move forward towards making our homeland stronger and better. AMIN. For Musharraf its the same thing as GEO says Geo aur jeenay do.

  6. Zack Avatar

    Any plans of spreading word about who to protest with in the UAE government?

    So far I haven’t even seen any news stories which mention anything from the UAE authorities.

  7. Yasir Adnan Avatar

    We are much sad for this news.I think Geo must Negosiate with this Army Governemt because it is useless to think good about Pakistan.

    Geo must get advice from DR ABDUL QADIR and CHIED JUSTICE AFTIKAR CHAUDARY,because they think and done good for Pakistani nation and what pakistani nation is giving them…nothing both are in House arrest.Please Awake up.What going on with Our Nation.please awake up.NO Pakistani is happy with this closer of GEO>Even i am weeping after hear this News.this is very very sad.

  8. Yasir Adnan Avatar

    PLease don’t happy with the closer of GEO if you are pakistani….What GEo was Overacting?They were only broadcasting truth.If you are pakistani you must atleast sad for this BAD NEWS.please don’t mind my comments.

  9. Farooq Avatar
    Farooq

    I for one am very sorry for this to happen. Geo was and Inshallah will be an Independant broadcaster. As far as the rumours that Musharaf put pressure on UAE to shut it down I think is false. Musharaf has not got that much clout and power in the Arab world. I am sure that the self appointed democracy police and gaurdians of free and fair speech (provided it suits their interests) has somthing to do with this. I am sure you know who i am talking about.

  10. Naveed Avatar
    Naveed

    GEO and Ary wre really trying to be a political party. And were putting negative propaganda against the pakistan. And president of Pakistan.
    Pakistan is really going under extreme danger of internal threads.

    But all geo and Ary was doing Yellow Generalizm.

    Its good to teach them a lesson

  11. awais Avatar
    awais

    if showing LIVE COVRAGE makes channel anti-government then i am very sorry for government that they should check themselves …prsent pak government was/is the most corruptest govern soo far thats why they fear to face reality and r against these news channels which shows evrything live

    lemme explain one more things thoes who r saying GO musharruf and happy on closing of geo then they also belong to corrupt families who fear to face LIVE COVERAGE reality

    shame on u all

    and
    GEO will com back soon inshallah

    some other country may give permission to geo to lauch back their setup

  12. awais Avatar
    awais

    shame on dubai also