Islamabad, Nov 19 : Deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said that the closing down of Geo News and ARY TV channels is unconstitutional as it violates Article 19 of the Constitution, which, according to him, is still in place.

The News quoted Justice Iftikhar as saying that the Constitution not only protected the freedom of the press, but also guarded the right of the people to know.

He lamented that both the Dubai-based Pakistani international television channels had been shut down, thus depriving the people both within Pakistan and outside to know all that was happening in the country and outside.

“In the presence of a strong judiciary, no such curbs on the media are possible,” he said while expressing the hope that things would improve and both the television channels would soon be back in action.

“The private television channels, particularly Geo, was doing such a wonderful job, but I don’t know why they have been forced to go off air,” Justice Iftikhar said.

When asked if he has any regrets or worries, the deposed Chief Justice said that why should one be worried or have regrets when he did not do anything wrong.

He reiterated that the post-November 3 (the date when emergency was imposed) set-up did not have any validity in the eyes of law and the Constitution.

Pointing out that the caretaker Prime Minister Muhammadmian Soomro had taken the oath of his new office under the Constitution and not under the Provisional Constitution Order, he said it proved that the 1973 Constitution was still valid and so was the position of the superior judiciary as it was before November 3.

Justice Iftikhar further said that that his school going children were not attending their institutions, as they had also been house-arrested. (ANI)