2 Pak news channels back, sans critical shows

The Pakistan government has allowed two leading private news channels back on the airwaves but with certain conditions.

Aaj TV, which returned to cable networks along with Dawn News on Thursday, has not been allowed to broadcast two of its popular talk shows, Live with Talat and Bolta Pakistan.

Live with Talat was hosted daily by senior journalist Talat Hussain and showed the 'facts behind the news'. 'Live everyday from the seat of power comes a show that avoids the clutter and focusses only on what's important. The show brings in-depth analysis of the day's biggest event conducted by Pakistan's most trusted social and political intellectuals,' is how Aaj describes the show.

Both Live with Talat and Bolta Pakistan have been very critical of the government. Bolta Pakistan, also a daily show, was a 'live forum where the people of Pakistan can call in to share their views or voice their concerns'.

Two other popular channels, Geo TV and ARY, are still blacked out from cable TV networks though they can be watched by anyone who has a large dish antenna capable of receiving satellite TV signals.

ARY TV's director news Mohsin Raza told Pakistan's Daily Times newspaper that the government has given no indication as to when his channel would be beamed again on cable TV networks.

Sources said the government wants ARY to stop broadcasting two talk shows, one hosted by Kashif Abbasi and other by Asma Shirazi. Abbasi hosts Off the record with Kashif Abbasi which broadcast three times a week and focusses on current political issues and policies. Shirazi hosts a similar show.

The sources also said that the government wants Hamid Mir and Shahid Masood, Geo TV's popular anchors, to be fired. Both have been critical of the government and the emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on November 3.

Meanwhile, Aaj TV's director of news Talat Hussain has ruled out any understanding with the government. "Any understanding between the employer and the government that will infringe on our editorial independence is unacceptable. We will either resist or resign from our jobs," he said.

A majority of the Pakistani TV news stations returned to cable networks on Thursday along with international channels like CNN, BBC, Sky News and Fox News. Al-Jazeera, however, continues to be blacked out. The channels were yanked off the airwaves hours after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency.

Some channels like Geo even moved some of their leading anchors to Dubai, fearing they might be detained under emergency laws.

Journalists across Pakistan have been staging protests over the past few days against the curbs imposed on the print and electronic media.