Suo Motu Action Against GEO

Pakistan’s most popular news channel, GEO News, tasted a bit of inherited agility from the post-emergency Supreme Court. The honorable SC summoned GEO for a hearing today (12th May) for a contempt of court notice. The next hearing is scheduled for 22nd May. The news and views on this action of court will vary and in probably the SC will be criticized by the vocal groups.

However, I do think that the new SC judges had enough. The derogatory remarks of GEO’s anchors and hosts against the LEGAL CHIEF JUSTICE supported by the cartoons and songs in support of the previous (or deposed) judges crossed the line of decency. The judges of the present SC must be comparing themselves with the emergency of October 1999. Why weren’t those judges criticized at that time? Why isn’t Iftikhar Chaudhry held liable to take oath on PCO and vote in favor if emergency and Musharraf’s referendum when he was part of the bench of the court?

Clearly, the judges are at no fault. They have done something similar as their brothers did 8 years back. And since they are spearheading the Supreme Court now, the media cannot do what it is currently doing.

The few important points raised by the court today were:

• Who is paying for the ads which run continuously in favor of the deposed judges?
• Who was the source that inaccurately claimed CJP Dogar’s meeting with Interior Secretary?

GEO has a history a making a news out of unconfirmed rumors, and then not being sorry for it. Being the most popular channel, it must hold the responsibility of accurate reporting so as not to mislead the people. The SC action may serve as an eye-opener.