Geo TV’s Pakistan offices raided by police

Police stormed Geo TV�۪s offices and tear-gassed employees on Friday after its editors refused to stop broadcasting pictures of protests against the chief justice�۪s suspension, as Aaj TV�۪s transmission was reportedly “disrupted” and as its head of the news section said the channel was working under great pressure over the chief justice trial.

According to Reuters, Geo�۪s Islamabad News Bureau Chief Hamid Mir said that police broke windows and released teargas in the office. “They�۪re demanding a camera installed on the roof be removed,” said Mir.

Geo was able to broadcast live pictures of the police bursting into the office. Transmissions from the rooftop ended a short time later. Geo�۪s rooftop camera had a panoramic view of the anti-government demonstrations. Police also damaged the neighbouring office of The News daily. “We hold the president and the prime minister directly responsible for this,” said The News bureau chief.

Meanwhile, AFP quoted Talat Hussain, the Aaj TV head of news section, as saying, “We have been told not to make Chaudhry a hero. We are even being threatened with the cancellation of our licence if we give undue coverage to his trial.”

Daily Times Monitor adds: Geo TV reported that its office in Karachi was evacuated after an unknown caller raised a false alarm that bombs had been planted in the building.