Daily Times

Geo TV channel, blacked out on cable in Pakistan since November 3 when President Pervez Musharraf imposed the emergency rule, was also been taken off the air in Dubai subsequently. But the news is that it resumed its transmission from Dubai late on Thursday for the entire world except Pakistan where the cable operators have not received the green light from the government to put it back into homes. Since then, President Musharraf has lifted the conditions that brought about the blackout on most TV channels. He has also allowed all the other channels, earlier banned, to broadcast again through the cable in Pakistan. Thus it is time for the government to end its discrimination against GEO.
GEO is a powerful channel with the largest news infrastructure on the ground in Pakistan. In consequence, it has suffered financially more than any other TV channel. The caretaker government is particularly in an embarrassing position. It is getting a negative projection by ignoring the matter. GEO sits atop a large section of the communication industry and its distressed employees are a source of constant negative publicity against the government. In the coming days, as the period of campaigning starts, Pakistan will need to be covered accurately, and that can be done when all the TV channels are in competition with one another. Leaving GEO out will not benefit the government or country. Geo aur Jeenay do. g