16 March 2007

Alert

Police raid television news offices in Islamabad


Incident details

Hamid Mir

(PPF/IFEX) - On March 16, 2007, police entered the Geo News office building in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, shattered glass and started shelling within office premises. Geo Television is part of the Jang Group, Pakistan's largest media group.

According to the television network, a large number of policemen entered the office, manhandling journalists and other staff members of Geo News.

Policemen shoved senior journalist Hamid Mir. They baton-charged and injured several staff members. Policemen also damaged vehicles of Geo News. Police officials also demanded an end to camera coverage of protests in Islamabad.

Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani rushed to the Geo News office soon after the incident and termed the incident as "unnecessary." He said that the incident by the police force was totally irrational and vowed stern action against the Islamabad police.

The police action against the television channel comes a day after the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) ordered Geo Television to stop airing "Kamran Khan Ke Saath", a popular current affairs news programme.

It is widely believed that the action against the television network was taken because of its coverage of the controversy surrounding the government's action against the Chief Justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court.



Source:

Pakistan Press Foundation
Press Centre
Shahrah Kamal Ataturk
Karachi 74200
Pakistan
ppf (@) pakistanpressfoundation.org
Phone: +92 21 263 3215
Fax: +92 21 221 7069
 

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Updates to this story

Police raid on media outlets followed by bomb threat 21 March 2007 Seven journalists injured in Lahore protests; government to punish police officers responsible for raids on newspaper offices, television stations 20 March 2007

Pakistan

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