PEMRA summons key meeting on May 27 over GeoTV issue
The authority also halted action against the channel until law ministry's response is received.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) summoned a key meeting on May 27 to decide over complaints against private TV channel Geo TV, Dunya News reported.
PEMRA said that no further action will be taken over Geo issue until the opinion of law ministry is received. Four angry members of PEMRA also summoned a session tomorrow (Saturday) to take final decision over Geo TV issue.
PEMRA also sent thousands of complaints received against Geo TV’s allegedly blasphemous content to Council of Complaints instead of taking authoritative action.
PEMRA authority says that further action against Geo TV is not possible until law ministry’s response is received.
It merits mentioning here that PEMRA’s session comprising five key members on May 20 suspended licenses of Geo News, Geo Entertainment and Geo Tez TV out of five TV channels owned and operated by Geo/Jang group and moved for revocation of licenses.
PEMRA member Mian Shams said that PEMRA’s today’s session comprised members from all over Pakistan. He said that PEMRA members have full authority as per PEMRA rules.
Geo TV came under immense criticism following the allegedly blasphemous content in its morning broadcast. The aftermath saw several protests across the country and registration of dozens of cases pleading courts to invoke blasphemy laws against the accused.
Following the orders of Islamabad Additional Session Judge Jahangir Awan, Margalla Police Station Islamabad registered the case against Geo TV under blasphemy law sections 295-A, 295-C, 298-A and seven Anti-Terrorism Court sections on May 17.
