Geo apologises to COC, removes two staff over Muharram documentary
Geo News told the Council of Complaints it had accepted responsibility and offered an unconditional apology over a 10th Muharram documentary. The channel said two employees were removed and a religious scholar would be added to its Editorial Committee.
ISLAMABAD: Geo News told the Council of Complaints in proceedings related to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s suspension of the channel that its management had accepted fault over the 10th Muharram documentary and submitted an unconditional apology.
During the hearing, Advocate Saim Hashmi, appearing for the broadcaster’s licensee company and accompanied by Advocate Arbaz Khan, informed the council that the channel had carried out a prompt internal inquiry after the programme aired. He placed documents before the council showing that the employee who prepared the documentary and the member of the Editorial Committee who cleared it had both been removed from service.
Hashmi also told the council that Geo’s management had decided to include a respectable aalim in its Editorial Committee to review sensitive religious material meant for broadcast, with the aim of preventing similar mistakes in future.
The case concerns an hour-long religious travel documentary aired on the 10th of Muharram. According to the submission made before the council, the programme contained 13 seconds of sensitive visuals. It immediately halted repeat telecasts and removed the material from its digital platforms before Pemra issued its notification.
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