Non-Compliance and Breach of Protocol by GEO News
Mr. Faisal Karim Kundi
Deputy Speaker
National Assembly of Pakistan
Parliament House
Islamabad
Subject: Non-Compliance and Breach of Protocol by GEO News on May 9, 2011
Honorable Sir:
Please refer to the proceedings of the National Assembly dated May 9, 2011. Pakistan Television (PTV) is the only channel allowed to live telecast pictures of the national Assembly’s sessions. We have witnessed that the “Question Hour” is shown live, whereas any speech of the Prime Minister is also relayed live by PTV. Usually, other private channels also broadcast the same especially when the Prime Minister is speaking on an important matter; however, as soon as the Prime Minister ends his speech, the live broadcast is terminated. It is also a fact that due to the privilege of the House and security requirements, no visitor is allowed to take a camera, cellular telephone or any other broadcasting device inside the Assembly Hall.
When the Prime Minister ended his speech on May 9, 2011 giving his policy statement on the “Abbottabad Operation”, PTV ended the broadcast; however, to our utter surprise GEO News continued to relay the audio of the speech of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Honorable Leader of the Opposition. It was quite evident that the relay took place through a cellular phone which either a member was using to give GEO News the feed or a GEO News reporter sitting in the hall inside the Press Gallery was capturing the speech of the Leader of the Opposition and relaying the same to his channel.
In our opinion, this was a serious breach of security as well as non-compliance of Parliamentary Rules by a non-compliant channel. We request your office to take notice of this security breach and bar relaying of the proceedings of the National Assembly in this manner and instruct PEMRA as well as the Security department of the National Assembly to investigate the incident. Last thing we want is to have security threat to our Parliament because of such breaches.
Sincerely yours,
Let Us Build Pakistan Blog
email: editor@lubpak.com
Both PEMRA and the Speaker of the NA should take notice of this breach.
The writer has a point. Imagine, if someone can bring in weapons or have a remote detonated bomb inside the hall or even the premises of the parliament house. Anyone can detonate with the help of a cell phone. Though Geo loves to be the leader in breaking news, it should be careful. This is the case of breaking a law and then when censured raise a hue and cry.
I do not think a bomb can go off in the Parliament until ofcourse someone in power wants that to happen and no one in power (read PM or President) would want that to happen to their fellow members, bombs are only for ordinary civilians. Maybe Geo did it for the larger public good which is justified in certain situations and this case should certainly be investigated and the results made transparent to the public.
Geo clearly thinks it self above law.
The government should immediately take action against the violation of law by the Geo reporter.
However, I do think it is high time we have a separate channel dedicated to telecasting the parliamentary sessions.
کامران خان اور نجم سیٹھی آج کل ٹاپ جا رہے ہیں اس کے بعد نصرت جاوید ہے ، لگتا ہے غیرت برگیڈ اور جماعتی صحافیوں سے اب لوگ بیزار ہونے لگے ہیں ، عوام کے جذبات کو اتنا ابھارا کہ ابھر ابھر کر اب بلکل ناکارہ ہو چکے ہیں . میڈیا نے پورا زور لگا لیا پر طالبان اور القاعدہ کو بے قصور نہ بنا سکے .امریکا امرریکا کے منترے سے اب لوگ بیزار ہیں ،یہود و نصاریٰ کی سازش کارڈ اب پرانا ہوگیا ہے ،اب لوگ حقیقت دیکھنا اور سنا چاہتے ہیں ،طلعت حسین ،کاشف عباسی ،حامد میر ،مہر بخاری ،شاہد مسود اینکر کم کسی جماعت کے لیڈر زیادہ لگتے ہیں ، عام طور پر عوام حکومتوں کی مخالفت سے خوش ہوتی ہے کیوں کے وہ ذمدار ہوتے ہیں پر صرف حکومت کی برائیاں کرنے سے ہی شو چلا نہیں کرتا ہیں .لوگ تبدیل ہو رہے ہیں .جماعت اسلامی ،حمید گل نظریہ اب دم توڑ رہا ہے ،صحافی اور اینکرز جذبات کے بجاے عقل اور فہم سے بھی دیکھا کریں .
what is wrong in bbroadcasting the speech. You people cant digest it –thatz why u have pain. SHAME ON such chamchas who have sold their conscience for few coins.