Bid to take Pakistan's Geo TV off the air fails

Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority disowns decision by its own members to suspend Geo TV's licenses

An attempt to take Pakistan's largest and most influential television station off the air descended into farce on Tuesday after the country's broadcasting regulator disowned a decision taken by some of its own board members.

Three members of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) horrified journalist rights activists on Tuesday when they held a press conference declaring the organisation had suspended three licenses from Geo TV.

But hours later Pemra itself said the organisation "disowns" the decisions taken by the three men.

It said their discussions during the day "had no legal standing" because only three members of the 12 person board were present.

Although Geo has in recent weeks been dropped by many cable television operators the channel continued to air its nightly news programmes as normal on Tuesday.

The channel's troubles began when it aired explosive allegations that the country's top spy agency, the Inter Services Intelligence directorate (ISI) had attempted to kill star Geo journalist Hamid Mir as he was driving through Karachi in April.

The company has been at the heart of a roiling controversy that has engulfed the country's media and political class ever since.

The allegations against the intelligence agency were incendiary as few dare to publicly cross the ISI, an institution long regarded as among the most powerful in the country. The military responded by formally demanding Pemra revoke Geo's license for waging a "vicious campaign" aimed at "undermining the integrity and tarnishing the image of state institution".

Pemra said it was still working on the complaint, which it had referred to the law ministry for a legal opinion. Geo's situation had become more perilous however after enduring relentless attacks from several other quarters. Commercial rivals, keen to cut into Geo's dominant market position, have vigorously attacked the company on their television channels and in newspapers owned by other media conglomerates.

Former cricketer turned politician Imran Khan has also gone after Geo, accusing it of working to rig last year's election in favour of the governing faction of the Pakistan Muslim League led by prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

But last week the situation became far more perilous after religious hardliners accused the station of broadcasting blasphemous material – an especially serious charge in a country where religious inflamed sentiments can quickly lead to violence.

In the years since it was established in 2002 Geo has become a major power broker in Pakistan, commanding vast audience attracted by its lurid tabloid style.

Media watchers say it had angered the country's powerful army by its vigorous campaign for peace and trade with India as well as aggressive criticism by Mir and other journalists of the army's human rights abuses.

Geo executives insist they will not give up. In 2007 the channel was closed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. It responded by staging its popular television talk shows on the streets of Karachi, a stunt that proved wildly popular and helped cement its reputation for doggedness.