Islamabad, Pakistan (BBN)-Pakistan’s popular television channel was taken off the air on Friday, the latest twist in a bitter row between Geo News and Islamabad’s top spy agency over the shooting of a leading journalist.
The government’s media regulatory body said the station’s licence was being suspended for 15 days and it would have to pay a fine of 10 million rupees (Dh373,000), reports The Nation.
Observers will view the decision, which the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) said was “unanimous”, as a blow to freedom of expression as the powerful army clamps down on critical coverage.
The News, a publication of the Jang Media Group, which also owns Geo News, reported on Friday that the station and its owners were suing Pemra, the defence ministry and Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) “for defaming and maligning the group” by accusing it of working on “an anti-Pakistan agenda”.
BBN/SS-07June14-9:15am (BST)