Police raid private TV station, confiscate broadcasting equipment

Islamabad police have reportedly raided the offices of a private television channel here and attempted to confiscate broadcasting equipment.

Islamabad, Nov.4 : Islamabad police have reportedly raided the offices of a private television channel here and attempted to confiscate broadcasting equipment.

A senior producer was quoted by The News as saying that the crackdown was undertaken as per the tough new curbs on the media, including that they are not allowed to publish or broadcast anything that "defames" General Musharraf.

"Police have entered our office and a judicial officer is trying to confiscate our equipement," said a director of the said channel.

"They have no legal paperwork with them. They have been able to hack into our service, we are living under dictatorship. We strongly condemn the police action," he added.

Police at the scene said that they were on a routine security patrol.

Pakistan's independent television channels went off air shortly before the state of emergency was announced. The media order imposed by Musharraf earlier gave the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority the power to confiscate equipment belonging to violators and to seize their premises for 30 days.

It says there is a maximum punishment of three years in jail or a fine of 10 million rupees (166,700 dollars) for anyone who breaches the code.

ANI