Musharraf Strongly Condemns Attack on Geo News Office
'Pakistan Times' Federal Bureau

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf on Friday strongly condemned the police action against the Geo television and apologised over the sad incident. In a telephone call to the Geo television, aired live, the President condemned the incident in the strongest terms.

“In my view this is a sabotage of whatever we stand for and whatever we are doing,” he said.

The President said; “I want to tell the nation that our strength is in the reforms we have undertaken - the freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of media and supramacy of human rights - that is our mandate and this is a violation of it and I strongly condemn it.”

The President said he will be “personally involved” into the matter and assured that immediate action be taken against all those involved.

“The culprits must be identified and punished immediately,” the President said.

He said the incident should not have taken place however assured that the compensation for the damages be paid immediately.

The President earlier in a statement took serious notice of the police action against the Geo television and termed it a deplorable act while ordering an immediate inquiry.

He described it as highly objectionable act and expressed sympathy with those affected. He assured that those found involved would be taken to task.

The President said the unprecedented freedom of press, media and expression were an achievement and hallmark of the present government. President Musharraf said he upholds and strongly believes in the freedom of press.

An earlier report had said that President General Pervez Musharraf took a serious notice of Police attack on Geo News Islamabad office and passed directives to take stern action against people involved in the incident.

The president said that the damage incurred by Geo News will be duly compensated by the government.

According to Information Minister Mohammed Ali Durrani, President Musharraf telephoned him from Lahore and expressed his concern over the raid on Geo News Islamabad office.

The president said that persons involved in the incident should be pinpointed and said that stern action will be taken against them.

President Musharraf expressed his sympathy with the Geo News staffers affected in the incident. He said that he would also talk to the head of Geo TV network.

PM Aziz Condemns Raid

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday strongly condemned the raid of police at Geo’s office here and ordered judicial inquiry into the matter.

The Prime Minister took serious notice of police’s action at the office of private news channel and manhandling of staffers, terming it deplorable.

He said the government believed in the freedom of press and was committed to strengthen the fourth pillar of the state.

The Prime Minister pledged that those found involved in the incident would be taken to task.

Info Minister

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Muhammad Ali Durrani, Friday strongly condemned the attack on the offices of Geo News, The News and daily Jang in Islamabad.

Talking to Geo News, he said such incidents damage the prestige and were contrary to the intentions and desires of the government to ensure freedom of press.

The minister said President General Pervez Musharraf has condemned the incident and shown his anguish. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has also condemned this sad incident and ordered judicial inquiry into it.

Minister for information and Broadcasting said it is highly condemnable and deplorable, adding “It is personally shocking for him too”. He strongly condemned the incident and termed it as abhorable incident.

He said freedom of press and setting up of all these institutions are hallmark of the government.

He said freedom of press has given a sense of safety to common man and the government would not allow any body to damage this.

He said government believed in the freedom of press.”Freedom of press is the responsibility of every one.” he said adding measures would be taken to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future as freedom of press ultimately strengthened the country.

Durrani said the government will compensate the damages in bureau office of Geo, The News and Daily Jang and bring to book those responsible for such attack.

He said DIG has already been ordered to conduct investigation and fullest protection to the journalists community would be ensured.

Joint investigations would be conducted in collaboration with Ministry of Interior and Information Ministry will be in touch with them.

Sherpao Condemns

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao Friday strongly condemned attack on Geo TV office.

He said inquiry of the incident would be conducted and culprits behind the incident would be given exemplary punishment.

The notification regarding judicial action has also been issued today.

Talking to Geo News, he said that the incident is highly deplorable. The interior minister said that he was told that some policemen, at the bidding of certain police officer, broke into the Geo News office and went on breaking down office infrastructure unjustifiably.

The interior minister said the government cannot think of doing the same and some people who are responsible for the incident have been pinpointed and the action against them would be taken tonight.

Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said that this is not an ordinary incident, vowing to “probe into the incident in every respect.”

PML Reax

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League Friday condemned the police attack on Geo and termed it an unwarranted act of brutality.

Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed Friday strongly condemned the police attack on Geo and The News offices here and said it is an unwarranted act of brutality and attack on freedom of expression.

Senator Mushahid Hussain said this was unprecedented incompetence of the administration and the police and no words are strong enough to either express regrets or condemn the act in the strongest possible terms this act.

He said that such kind of unprovoked police action might even lend credence that perhaps certain elements may be trying to aggravate an already difficult situation.

Mushahid said that PML President, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has also expressed condemnation of the attack on Geo through a telephone call from Washington.

Senator Mushahid also expressed solidarity with both Hamid Mir and Kamran Khan, terming them as among Pakistan’s finest professional journalists.

He said the government should take immediate action against those responsible, and also apologize to the journalists and management of Geo.

Ex-PM Jatoi Reax

Former Premier of Pakistan Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi said Friday that being Pakistani he is ashamed of attack on Geo News.

Talking to Kamran Khan, he said he had no words to condemn the incident.

Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi said it is being claimed that Pakistan is a democracy; but in this democratic era, these incidents are happening.

Nawaz Sharif Condemns

The Ex-Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif Friday condemned the attack of police on the Islamabad Bureau office of Geo TV.

While talking in Geo News special transmission programme ‘Kamran Khan Kai Saath,’ Sharif said that; “the establishment has started manhandling every important organization of the country”.

Terming journalism as the fourth important pillar of the state, he strongly condemned the attack.

The ex-PM appealed the nation to play their part for the safeguard of country’s security.

Altaf Hussain Grieved

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Chief Altaf Hussain condemned Friday the police attack on Geo News Islamabad office in strongest terms.

Talking to Geo News (Kamran Khan), MQM chief said he is extremely grieved on this sad incident of police attack on Geo News Islamabad office.

He demanded President Musharraf to take stern notice of the incident.

Altaf Hussain urged Federal Information Minister to put an end to this injustice, as it is putting the country into chaos.

Sindh Governor

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan on Friday strongly condemned the attack on Geo TV office in Islamabad.

In a statement here, the Governor expressed sympathy with the workers of Geo TV and said that no act against the freedom of Press would be allowed.

He said that the present government under the leadership of President General Pervez Musharraf had taken solid steps for the freedom of Press, particularly for the expansion of electronic media.

The Governor also took notice of the reports of bomb hoax in Geo TV office in Karachi and ordered authorities concerned to take immediate security steps in this regard.

Sindh CM

Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim on Friday termed the attack on Geo TV office in Islamabad unfortunate incident.

In a statement here, the Chief Minister said that the present government believes in the freedom of Press as it had provided enormous freedom to the Press and no such example could be found in the past.

He said that such incidents should not occur in this country and added that President General Pervez Musharraf took notice of the incident and ordered a probe into it.

Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim telephoned IG Sindh Jehangir Mirza and directed him to take security measures for Geo TV office in Karachi.

Imraan, Baloch, Fazlur Rehman

Chairman Tehreek-e-Insaaf Imraan Khan, President Jamaat Islami Liaquat Baloch and Opposition Leader and Ameer Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman condemned police attack on Geo News Islamabad office in strongest terms.

Imran Khan said that it is a state terrorism that should be condemned in strongest words.

Liaquat Baloch said that Geo News assault is an attack on freedom of press and it will not be accepted under any circumstances. He vowed to condemn the incident on all levels.

Reacting to the incident, Maulana Fazlur Rehman condemned the attack on Geo News office and said flag bearers of press freedom launched an attack on media after attack on judiciary.

Journalists Stage Sit-in

Over 300 journalists belonging to various media organizations and newspapers staged Friday a demonstration over police attack on Islamabad bureau office of Geo news channel.

The newsmen including cameramen and photographers also staged sit-in in front of Governor House.

Earlier they marched from Karachi Press Club to Governor House to lodge strong protest against the assault of government machinery on media. They chanted slogans against government and rebuked negligence of higher authorities despite live coverage of attack.

A number of citizens also joined the demo organized jointly by Karachi Union of Journalists and Association of Television Journalists.

The journalists appealed to President Gen Pervez Musharraf, PrimeMinister Saukat Aziz and Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Durani to take notice of the attack.

Bomb Hoax

In view of bomb scare at Geo TV building, the bomb squad has given all clear and the staff members have returned back to their premises.

It should be noted that earlier building of Geo office in Karachi have been evacuated due to bomb threat.

It was learnt that the information of a bomb in Geo News building was given by some unknown caller, after which the staff members were evacuated from the building.

Of The Raid

A report by Geo TV says that police entered in Geo News office building, shattered glasses and started shelling within office premises.

Large number of policemen entered in the office manhandled newsmen and other staff members of Geo News, said the report.

Policemen shoved senior journalist Hamid Mir. They baton-charged and injured several staff members, says the Geo report.

“Police officials also demanded closing camera coverage of protests in Islamabad. Staff members offered resistance to police action to save the premises”, the report adds.

Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani rushed to Geo News office soon after incident.

While talking in a Geo News programme ‘Kamran Khan Ke Saath,’ Durrani termed the incident as ‘unnecessary.’

He said that the incident by the police force was totally irrational and vowed stern action against those found responsible for this act.●