ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rasheed on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had full authority to resolve issues relating to Geo network, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives in Islamabad, Rasheed said Pemra was an independent body and the government did not want to interfere in its matters.

The minister’s statements come in the midst of the media crisis that has been gripping the nation for a month and that took a turn for the worse on Tuesday evening when a meeting held by a few Pemra members announced the suspension of three licences — Geo News, Geo Entertainment and Geo Tez — of Geo network.

Pemra management had later declared the meeting illegal, adding that any decisions taken by it were null and void. A Pemra spokesman had moreover said that a meeting on the issue could not be held until the law ministry gave its opinion on the matter.

The law ministry has approached the information ministry for its recommendations on the issue, Rasheed told reporters today.

Also read: Media crisis turns into Pemra chaos

The law ministry has also forwarded its recommendations on the issue to us, Rasheed said.

Responding to a question, the minister said the army was a respectable institution, adding that one should avoid those engaged in disparaging its reputation.

He added that the army carried the flag of the country and not of some political party.