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ISLAMABAD,Pakistan-A Pakistani television station was abruptly shut down Friday, after it allowed two broadcasters who had been banned by the government to appear on air, a station official said. Talat Hussain, executive director of news and current affairs for Aaj TV, said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf disapproved of the journalists.Musharraf's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi, said he was unaware of the incident and would contact the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority about the suspension of transmission.Aaj TV was taken off the air at 10 p.m. (10 a.m. ET), Hussain said. It was not known when the station could resume operations.Instead of programming, viewers are greeted with the message: "Dear Users,Please note Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) temporarily suspended transmission of independent news TV channels till further instructions."Hussain said the regulatory authority had called Aaj TV and warned the station against allowing the broadcasters on the air.The station rejects the ban because it violates media regulations, he said. The journalists were identified as Nusrat Javed and Mushtaq Minaz.Musharraf suspended Javed from broadcasting earlier this month because of critical comments he made about the president, according to the Pakistani Web site, PK Politics. It was not immediately known why Minaz was banned.When Musharraf declared a nationwide state of emergency on November 3, he took independent television networks off the air. They were later allowed to resume service.
Musharraf said he took the actions "for the good of Pakistan," stressing that the nation was threatened by rising tensions and spreading terrorism.But government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, and opposition leaders said Musharraf took the action days before a Supreme Court ruling that would have nullified the October presidential results. Musharraf dismissed the court judges as part of his order.
As in the days of Noah....
