Re: ARY and GEO shut down [merged]
In UK, media is regulated and government body sees that no one lies in media. Punishment is heavy. If any one in media publishes lies in UK or defame others, the person can sue the media, and British government would help the victim. There are many cases in UK where a person sued media for defamation (most of defamations are related to lies), and with the help of government and justice system, won the cases in court with heavy compensation.
What Pakistan government is asking these media (GEO and ARY) is to sign defamation laws that they have recently enacted, that would make heavy punishment for defamation. Today, there is almost no punishment for defamation in Pakistan (it is punishment by name only). Media considers that heavy punishment for defamation is wrong, as it means to them that government is curbing criticism. Though what they are claiming is wrong, as defamation means, to defame someone using lies, or by infringing someone personal life using illegal means, but media do not want to get punished heavily because of their lies and defamation of others.
There is a difference between media being sued (court action) and the regulatory authority determining what is kosher news. give me an example of Ofcom investigating a "lie".
you say the punishment is heavy, give me an example of OFCOM (not the courts) levying a heavy punishment for a lie.
rahi baat courts ki, we already have more or less the same laws of libel that UK has. the punishment may be different, but thats a second step, why hasnt anyone even tried to prove defamation?