Legal action looms; Jang Group says it respects armed forces

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 21 April 2014

The Pakistan Army announced legal action against Geo Television for baseless allegations regarding the ISI. The Jang Group affirmed its respect for the armed forces amid ongoing tensions following an attack on journalist Hamid Mir.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: As the Pakistan Army said Sunday it will take legal action against Geo Television for hurling "baseless allegations" against the ISI and its head, the Jang Group said it "immensely respects the armed forces."

Shortly after the attack on Geo TV anchor Hamid Mir in Karachi Saturday, the channel implicated the ISI while displaying a picture of its Director General.

This upset the army that said the allegations had brought bad name to the country. "We are evaluating the baseless allegations leveled against the ISI from all aspects and there should be no doubt that we will take legal action," The Express Tribune quoted the Director General of ISPR, Maj. Gen Asim Bajwa (pictured) as saying.

On the other hand English daily The News, a paper of the Jang Group that also runs Geo said in a front page boxed statement: "The Jang Group clarifies that it has not put the blame on any institution or section of any institution. The Jang Group values and respects all institutions. All including the accused must be presumed innocent until proven guilty."

However, the paper said: "We also want to bring it on record that ISI has been continuously and strongly complaining to our senior editors against some of our senior journalists particularly against Hamid Mir. We will prove it and many other things at a proper time."

Mir, undergoing treatment at a Karachi hospital is now said to be out of danger. He was shot six times after his car was ambushed a short distance away from the airport by unidentified gunmen.