South Asia Commission (SAMC) and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) have resented putting two Pakistani television channels, Geo News and ARY One World, off air and asked President General Pervez Musharraf and the emir of United Arab Emirates to allow the two stations, which have offices in Dubai, to resume broadcasting.
"This is outrageous that having silenced Geo TV and ARY One World in Pakistan, General Musharraf has now pressured the Dubai authorities to suspend the two stations," said SAMC Chairman N. Ram and Secretary General Najam Sethi, Media Commission Pakistan Chairman I. A. Rehman and SAFMA President Laxman Gunesekera and Secretary General Imtiaz Alam in a joint statement.
Extending support to the staff of the two stations, they termed shutting down of Geo News and ARY One World as the economic murder of hundred of journalists and other staff.
"We call on President Musharraf to immediately rescind this decision, which is contrary to free enterprise and the freedom to report the news," they said. Released by SAMC Regional Co-ordinator Husain Naqi, the statement noted with alarm the rapidly deteriorating environment of freedom of expression and freedom of press in Pakistan.
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