Let me begin by thanking you!

I want to thank u for being young, for being Lums,
for coming out here to listen…
and for being part of the biggest silent majority- our youth which perhaps will no longer remain silent,
but most of all I want to thank you for the dard you have shown in the past weeks….

Dard (urdu word) is such an important character to hold on to.
We forget at times to actually care…some of us even say salam to each other when we pass,
and we will ask how we are,
and we will perhaps even feel for those who don’t have as much as us- like the beggars that we see when we are in our cars.
But real DARD is one when one human feels for each another and does something about it.

I have heard and seen LUMS feel.
It doesn’t matter what will come out of it, who will win or lose, who is right or wrong even…or perhaps that some are not happy with the way that you expressed that feeling.

What IS important is that YOU felt.
I am proud of all of you.
YOU make me proud of Pakistan.

DARD is something that we also value in our organization as well. And like you, we have also been feeling a lot of it for our country these days.
My fellow colleagues and the services they were providing for the nation, have been effected drastically.

On November 3, 2007, 2pm transmissions were forcibly blocked by all cable operators of the country for all independent news channels of Pakistan and for all of our channels, including our entertainment channel GEO, including our youth channel AAG….and also Pakistan’s only Sports channel, GEO Super.

Even India Pakistan cricket, which some foreigners compare to religion in our country, was not spared…..
which seemed like something that would in fact alleviate the anxiety of our people
this was all done to harm us and punish us, for our fierce independence. We lose almost half a million every day we are off air, and on cricket alone we have lost over 15 million dollars. That is the price they have made us pay so far, for our freedom.

It is said that the emergency was primarily needed because of terrorism. What do students, lawyers and human rights activists have to do with terrorism? What does a cameramen, a vj, a cricketer and a saas bahoo have to do with terrorism?

On November 17th, at mid night, GEO news was shut down by the government permanently throughout the world, including our viewer ships were enjoying the truth and reality at least in the UK, USA, Canada and ME. This was done by putting tremendous pressure on Dubai from where we were up linking our transmission from.

Some in the establishment claim that it was done because the media was portraying a negative image of the country aboard. But didn’t they think: shutting one of your biggest achievements and freedom of speech in the country would do to that image across the world? Did they think what it would do to the thousands of people who survive through those channels?

Why was all this done? Akhir Kyion?

Was it because we were helping people keep track of the price of goods in the country?

Was it because the media was helping people find their life partners and what values to look in them to have a meaningful relationship?

Or was it because we were helping our people to find careers and think about options for their growth and how to get to where they want?

Was it because we had helped propagate sports that were dying and eventually led to the only sports channel in the country?

Was it because we invested in the future by providing a space to empower our youth and encourage them to express their opinions and ideas?

Or was it because we reminded the nation of what the Quaid said and how far perhaps we have deviated from it?

Then why?

Was it because we reminded each other about our fundamental rights and warning them of how quickly they can be taken away from us?

Was it because we promoted religious tolerance and sectarian harmony?

Or was it because we shared with the country the story of the prophets and their message?

Or was it because we gave our country a film that we can all be proud of internationally?

A film that would help the revival of the Cinema in the country, and along with it a debate and interest in the future of our country?

Perhaps it was because we spoke about sensitive issues and taboo subjects and forced ourselves to confront the evils that are whispered and have no name.

Or maybe because we all learnt to hold each other accountable, no matter how high and mighty they are?

Should we be given the death penalty for venturing into the corridors of power and exposing the movers and shakers and the games that they play?

Or is it because we spread tolerance through laughter….and taught people to relax a little and laugh at those who are our public servants but behave like our masters?

Were we shut down because we united and then helped the country heal from its gravest of times?

Or because we covered elections in past in a way that made it very difficult to manipulate results

Or was it because we were revealing corruption as it actually happens and create a culture which is empowering others to do the same…

OR was it because we were encouraging our people to THINK and ask QUESTIONS about issues that have divided us for years and held us back.

Was it because we showed both sides of the story- GEO or Geenaydo?
But we had mentioned positives as well. Don’t you remember what we had said?

You have highest GDP per capita spend on education than any previous government. GEO Musharraf

You have done more for women development, women laws and women parliament seats then anyone else before

GEO Musharraf

You had done more for the development of media then anyone before

GEO Musharraf

You had given us a parliament that ran its 5 year course, another first in our 60 year history

GEO Musharraf

You had put our economy back on track, and rid ourselves of the debt traps of the foreign agencies and banks of the world, giving us breathing space to invest in our infrastructure and future.

GEO Musharraf

You had reminded us and the world of a progressive and tolerant Islam

GEO Musharraf

We are still not taking anything personally no matter what has been done to us. We are not party to anyone and that has been our stance from day one. We will focus on facts.

If there will be any bias then it will be bias towards justice, not the judiciary, democracy not politicians, state not government, accountability not vindictiveness. If there will be any bias then it will be bias for the truth and for a progressive and tolerant Pakistan.

Because our fight is not about wrong and write, about emergency or no emergency, about conservative or liberal. Our fight, our philosophy and essence has been one from the beginning. From 1947 when my grandfather started Jang on a bicycle to Aug 14 2002 when see started the Jeem Khani…..our fight has been about tolerance.

Tolerance for each other….for each others ideas, feedback, criticism, diversity and for each others mistakes and intentions.

We believe, tolerance for each others ideas and feedback will make us overcome differences and will make us grow from them instead….and move our country and our people towards a progressive and peaceful society….that we deserve.

Following our philosophy to the last drop of energy…that is why still we have nothing against anyone…
Aab bhi…aab bhi…aap kay lieye wohi dua….kay GEO!
*Or Aab bhi….aab bhi…aap say wohi iltija….kay Geenaydo!

Profile of Mir Ibrahim Rahman: Mir Ibrahim Rahman referred to in the media industry as "MIR" is the CEO of GEO TV Network-that currently runs four independent television channels beamed from Dubai Media City across the world. Eight separate beams have specific foot prints across South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. Network is about to launch its first English 24 hours news channel, GEO News. Mir Ibrahim , the youngest CEO to head a major media network worked previously with the media & telecom division of the investment bank Goldman Sachs in the United States. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with Honors from Babson College in Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship in 2000.