NOVANEWS
By Sajjad Shaukat
Undoubtedly, media is a powerful instrument to build perceptions and promote ideologies.
Media houses like Geo and Jang Group, due to their area of influence, wealth and
assets inland and abroad, have become a monster in Pakistan. By acting upon the anti-Pakistan
propaganda for the sake of money, this media group follows its own peculiar agenda,
and keeps its financial interests above the national interests of Pakistan.
While leaders of various political and religious parties including all the segments of society have
already been condemning the Geo TV channel showing solidarity with Pakistan’s armed forces
and Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), as deducing hastily outcome of the assault on its
anchor Hamid Mir, this media group left no stone unturned in defaming the national institutions
like ISI including its DG. But countrywide protests and rallies started against the Geo Media
Group after its channel showed blasphemous content on May 14, this year, in its entertainment
morning show “Utho Jago Pakistan” by playing a Qawwali (a genre of sufi music) “Ali ke
Saath hai Zahra ki Shaadi” in the background of actress Veena Malik and her husband Assad
Bashir Khattak’s wedding reenactment. It is a famous Qawwali about the marriage of Prophet
Muhammad’s (PBUH) daughter Syeda Fatima Zehra (R.A) with his cousin Hazrat Ali (R.A).
The names of Ahl-e-Bait (family of Prophet Muhammad PBUH) were taken during the broadcast
on Geo TV’ show which sparked outcry all over the country by the general masses, students
lawyers, members of civil society, religious organizations which continue their protest rallies,
and strikes chanting slogans and placards inscribed with—Ban the Geo TV.
Earlier, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) which issued a show-
cause notice to the Geo TV in defaming the ISI also slammed it with another show-cause notice
for airing blasphemous content.
Nevertheless, irreligious act of the Geo channel appeared like a blow from the sky, as people
have already been praising the armed forces and ISI. In this context, besides other leaders, and
political parties, even Jamat-i-Islami remarked that Geo and Jang group has been implementing
anti-Pakistan agenda of external powers. Especially, Chairman, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI),
Imran Khan who has also defended the stance of Army and ISI, announced to boycott Geo and
Jang group. In a press conference on May 17, Imran Khan displayed documentary evidence,
revealing that Geo TV is working against the national interests of Pakistan and is being funded
by foreign countries like UK and the US State Department for shaping the national narrative on
foreign agendas, while there is no audit of the Geo network which blackmails those who raise
question in this connection.
Imran Khan disclosed, “Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, owner of the Geo and Jang Group has
established a trust (MKRF) through which he gets foreign funding and so far he has received
6.9 million pounds—this amount was questioned by Lord Nazir in the British House of Lords
as well.” He pointed out that Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman “protects his financial interests through
his media house, whereas Geo TV network is defaulter of PEMRA and Sindh Revenue Board.
National Bank is owed Rs.1.8 Billion as of 2010.” Imran Khan said, “PML (N) and Geo are the
one team having common interests—Najam Sethi, an employee for Geo TV was made PCB
chairman as a gift of Geo’s services, and rigging in the elections 2013 by Najam Sethi.”
Imran Khan further added, “Media trial of ISI and its chief by Geo TV is extremely condemnable
which was done as per agenda set by Mir Shakil ur Rehman.”
A few days ago, Imran Khan also criticized the said TV channel’s “Aman Ki Asha” campaign
in the eastern border and “Jang ki Asha” (A campaign for War) in the western border which
shows its double standard, while rejecting foreign allegations that ISI or Army is supporting
militancy in Afghanistan. He had also indicated that the “US and India will be gladly looking at
the maligning of Pakistan’s armed forces by the country’s own TV channel.”
While Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan stated on April 25, 2014 that one-sided media
trial by the Geo TV and Jang group against Pakistan’s armed forces and ISI which have been
serving the greater national interests of Pakistan, should end.
In this regard, processions and rallies by various political and religious parties continue unabated
in support of the armed forces and ISI, demanding that that Geo and Jang group must be shut
down due to its anti-state activities, and implementation of foreign agenda against Pakistan.
However, it indicates that these positive developments have been reinvigorating the national
institutions like ISI, while countering all negative propaganda against it.
Every thing became crystal clear when foreign media, NGOs and human rights groups
reactivated their campaign against Pakistan, its army and especially superior spy agency by
projecting the so-called propaganda of the Geo TV by favouring the misconceptions of its anchor
and journalist Hamid Mir.
Unfortunately, ISI has been in the eye of the wicked storm ever since extra-regional imperialists
started expanding their influence in South Asia and Afghanistan. India has been in the forefront
to implicate ISI and Pak Army. However, Hamid Mir episode and subsequent media campaign
launched by Geo TV to malign ISI and its DG created conditions for Indian and western media
to propagate against ISI and its top leadership.
Besides Indian media, in this respect, on April 28, voicing his support for the Pakistani journalist
Hamid Mir, former external affairs minister and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha called upon Prime
Minister Nawaz Sharif through a letter to stop ISI from suspending Geo TV license.
In this connection, while hinting towards the Geo media group, senior journalist Majid Nizami
commented, “Certain TV channel of Pakistan appears to be Indian.” This is due to its tendency to
follow Indian narrative, during its electronic coverage. Since long Indian propagandists labeled
ISI “a state within state”, while insinuating that ISI was harboring terrorists. Domestic media
like the Geo and Jung group, instead of countering Indian false accusations against ISI followed
Indian themes and launched a media tirade against this intelligence agency.
It is notable that Geo Media and Jang Group projects the power of its TV channels and
publications that rule of law is supreme and it must be followed under all circumstances. In
Pakistan, the Geo Group has also been in the forefront in offering suggestions to the government
for the consumption of domestic and foreign public that rules of law must be followed to
indict the former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in treason case. Its anchors and writers also
assertively project that constitution must be followed in letter by suggesting action against
violators of the constitution. But, at personal level, Geo commentators and reporters have been
addressing Gen. Pervez as the accused Musharraf, even prior to his official indictment.
It is mentionable that when Geo Media Group and its editorial board committed the acts of
libel and defamation against country’s secret agency ISI and its DG, its owner Mir Shakeel-
ur-Rehman failed to demonstrate higher moral grounds and respect for the rule of law. When
law is to be activated against others, Geo becomes over-assertive, but when the case is of self-
accountability, the Group demonstrates double standard and hypocrisy.
In these terms, Western models of media set high quality and morally sound precedence. It is of
particular attention that Geo Media Group has learnt nothing from the role model when Rupert
Murdoch, the owner of 150 years old newspaper “News of the World” in United Kingdom
himself decided to close his paper, as it was found involved in taping the public conversations.
Although the crime committed by “News of the World” was unscrupulous and unethical, yet
the owner’s closure-decision saved its reputation and maintained its image. In fact, the owner’s
moral courage was much higher than the real stature of Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman and other leading
employees of the Geo and Jang Group.
Nonetheless, Geo Media Group has committed libel and defamation act against national
institution like ISI and its DG. The entire nation and all media houses (other than Geo) found
Geo guilty of committing act of defamation. It is the double standard and hypocrisy of the Geo
Group to go into defiance mode to maintain its blatant position. Despite its wealth, external and
internal political backing, this media group will not be able to hide the truth, as Geo has launched
campaign against ISI for which it stands accountable.
Now, Geo Media Group is cleverly finding refuge under the plea of freedom of expression in to
avoid the treason charges. Geo is also collecting evidence in its favour by using paid contents
published through its own newspapers showing that a considerable number of audiences support
its stance. If Geo is true in its stance, it does not need to make any noise, as it is presently doing
on large scale, because only guilty conscious entities make such outcry.
At this hour, own media must prove that confusing behavioral pattern of Geo proves that it is
guilty of charges leveled against it. A patriotic person or media group does not need to make
noise about his loyalty. Good conduct and concern for the state including image of own key
national institutions like ISI prove the patriotism that people of Pakistan are mature enough to
assess who is promoting foreign agenda through double standard and hypocrisy.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
