Spokesman says Geo faces closure, points finger at ISI

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 4 September 2014

Geo TV is on the brink of closure following significant financial losses and allegations against the ISI. The channel has faced operational challenges due to political pressures and legal issues.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: A spokesman for the Jang Group says Geo TV could be shut down any day after incurring losses of Rs5 billion in the aftermath of the attack on Hamid Mir.

The revelation was made by The News Thursday in a front page story headlined: What is a parliament that is silent! A spokesman for the group regretted that despite publishing an advertisement drawing the attention of the parliamentarians and other leaders for two successive days, no serious effort has been forthcoming.

The paper pointed fingers at the ISI again, claiming it had evidence some intelligence officers had a hand in getting Geo closed.

The spokesman said written complaints were made to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), letters written to the prime minister and information minister, and it was also conveyed verbally that the Supreme Court, Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court have termed Geo’s closure illegal and ordered its restoration but the government is powerless.

Geo Television Network claims it has been more than four months that all their channels are 80 percent off air while the remaining 20 percent have been relegated to the last numbers of the spectrum.

"The group has so far been paying salaries on its own but it now has no more capacity," the spokesman said.

Geo’s troubles began in the hours after the attack in April on Hamid Mir who was shot and injured by unidentified gunmen in Karachi. Soon afterwards the channel began claiming the ISI head Lt. Gen Zaheerul Islam was responsible.