Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Revolt Against Mr Jeem

So, remember that we tweeted about the return of Mr Jeem (Jeem for Jaahil) Online, Aamir Liaquat, to Geo all the way back on June 20? We had also tweeted that our sources were telling us that the return had been pushed through on the insistence of CEO Mir Shakilur Rahman's mother, the family's matriarch to whom Mr Jeem had gone abegging, and whose diktat could simply not be refused by anyone in Geo. Not only was the disgraced televangelist brought back and offered his own show (for which Geo has been running teasers and quarter-page advertisements proclaiming 'Someone is Coming'), he was ushered into the position of Vice President of the entire Geo TV Network, Group Executive Director and Editor Religious Affairs.

The teaser print ad for the return of Aamir Liaquat on Geo

Well, it seems a full blown revolt has now erupted within Geo's editorial management over this. Among the people said to be extremely unhappy with this turn of events are Managing Director Geo News Azhar Abbas, Director Content Development Muaaz Ghamdi and star anchors such as Sana Bucha (Lekin), Najam Sethi (Aapas Ki Baat) and Iftikhar Ahmed (Jawaabdeyh). Many others have also signed an internal petition being circulated against Mr Jeem's reappointment.

While it is not clear if anyone else has offered their resignations, Sana Bucha refused to conduct her programme on Friday and Saturday, leading to Meray Mutabiq's  Maria Memon being drafted in as a stop-gap arrangement, while the official explanation given was that Ms Bucha was busy in "personal engagements." Our sources tell us that Ms Bucha has indeed tendered her resignation at the return of the charlatan preacher and that the resignation has now been accepted. According to our sources, she had been explicitly promised that, if Mr Jeem were ever to return to Geo, she would be free to refuse to continue. Some sources claim she even had it written into her contract though we cannot verify this. If that is indeed true, that is forward-thinking the likes of which we have not heard of before in the Pakistani media. It remains to be seen if any of the others at Geo take a stand over this or whether Ms Bucha will become the revolt's sole sacrifice.

 Sana Bucha has resigned over Aamir Liaquat's reinduction


There are also some reports that she is already in talks with Dunya to take over the slot left vacant by the sacking of Mubasher Lucman over the Malik Riaz interview fiasco, who himself has now been picked up by ARY. If these reports are correct, it would be interesting to see Ms Bucha sharing channel space with Meher Bokhari, especially recalling that they are not on the best of terms to begin with. Suffice it to say, however, it seems no scandal is big enough - recall Aamir Liaquat's vitriolic and widely condemned religious zealotry and the expose of his personal hypocrisy, Lucman's and Bokhari's flouting of all professional ethics etc. - to make the media actually take stock of its blatant shortcomings and prevent it from hiring the same professionally disgraced people.

What is also quite clear is that Mr Jeem's return just before the advent of Ramzan has as much to do with an economic bottom line as pressure from the Rehman family matriarch. When he left Geo in 2010 for ARY, Geo attempted to fill his ubiquitous Ramzan programming with a slew of celebrity hosts (such as Junaid Jamshed and Reema) but ended up making far less money than they used to in previous 'holy months' when he fronted the programming.

And that's what the real 'Geo Asool' is all about. Money.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hats off to Ms Sana Bucha. The concluding remark is no doubt the sole purpose of the existence of GEO!

Naushad Shafkat said...

Sad sad day to see a promising anchor like Sana Bucha leaving because of a fraudster like Liaquat. But even sadder is the fact that the media, which claims to be the sole spokesman of us all, is so oblivious of the sane voices that can be heard screaming about this fraudster and yet we can do nothing. And if I recall correctly it was Geo that was blamed by Liaquat for putting that video of his on Youtube - a video that exposed his upbringing through and through.

Anonymous said...

So SB leaving Geo to stand by her "asools" and joining Dunya on new "asools"!

Sounds like a switch over for better pay grade.

Truth Exposed said...

All of these are one indeed with some professional jealousy. Plus it shows the real morals of these anCHORs and Media tycoons who are nothing but part of conspiracy against people of Pakistan.
Like politicians there should be accountability of media as well.

Magnum said...

Mummy Geo wasn't liking what she was seeing.
Geo, R.I.P.

Well done Sana. I think Azhat, Najam or anyone with even a semblance of sense and reason left there should bid Geo goodbye with their rabid anchors and now, of course, the weepy prick, Aamir Liaquat.

Asu said...

Like him or hate him has been the biggest money spurner for Geo. There are people out there who want to see him and for Geo minority opinion overshadows the rating he guarantees. Learn to respect people opinion don't try imposing yours by hiding behind big names to put weight on your prejudice.

Unknown said...

Sana Bucha is very clever. She is clearly PMLN paid anchor, and DUNYA TV is PMLN official TV. So the union of Dunya TV and SB is perfect. On the other she marketing her rebellion against her employer on moral and principal ground.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Media in Pakistan is a big joke. I feel sorry for the poor -often times uneducated - man and aunties who watch all these news programs and fall for this shit.
No morals, no ethics.

Anonymous said...

So its not just politics, even media has its patriarchs and matriarchs :)

Anonymous said...

Now Mir Ibrahim should take his Harvard degree, his graduation speech and his high ideas all together and shove up somewhere ......

Anonymous said...

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto once said that the people of Pakistan are foolish and can be fooled into believing anything. The Jahil online case proves how gullible our people are! One smooth talker and they are swept off their feet.

Anonymous said...

& Sana Bucha is back with Lekin. What your sources tell you about that?

HaroonaGul said...

If its Sana Bucha or any other x, y,z, I am sorry to say but all the Pakistan news anchors are the same. I once got a chance to watch Sana's program just recently (at that time I didnt even know who she was)and I was amazed at the way the good looking lady was fighting with some politician. I mean this is not the way to present oneself and I feel like throwing up when incidentally I get to see a news channel. I have no idea whats the politics behind the change in management but be it Aamir Liaquat or Sana Bucha or anyone else, all of them have stakes and they would go to any height in order to achieve their benefit.

Magnum said...

You were taken for a ride, Pyalas. Still waiting for a post on Ms. Bucha's not so surprizing return and the non-existent rebellion against Mr. Jeem.

observer said...

'Wajibul Qatl' is old hat. Now it Maya Khan and instant salvation. Any views.

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Moed said...

Why object on this?

Geo is a private organization and have right to hire or fire anyone

Unknown said...

Hi,Where have you guys dissappeared.I hope all are safe and under no threats.cheers

sk said...

A bastard Dr. Amir Liquat

Unknown said...

I think Sana Bucha is like a Puppet of anti-Islam think tanks.
she is going to use against Islam and Islamic Scholars.That's the reason she has left the GEO after some time joining Dr.Aamir liaquat hussain.As we know about Sana Bucha she is Muslim league(N) Supporter she always take Soft-Conner against tham.I think she ran away. Couldn't take it anymore, as she was facing harsh criticism from her viewers because of her soft corner for PML(N).

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