Pakistan suspends news channel Geo

ISLAMABAD, June 6 (agencies): Pakistan took the country's most popular television channel off air Friday, the latest twist in a bitter row between Geo News and Islamabad's top spy agency over the shooting of a leading journalist.

The government's media regulatory body said in a statement the station's licence was being suspended for 15 days and it would have to pay a fine of 10 million rupees ($100,000).

Observers will view the decision, which the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) said was "unanimous", as a blow to freedom of expression as the all powerful army clamps down on critical coverage.

Geo News has locked horns with the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) ever since a prominent anchor of the television channel was attacked in the volatile port city of Karachi in April.

Hamid Mir was shot three times but survived, with his family blaming the chief of the ISI, General Zaheer-ul-Islam, for the attempted murder.

Mir's brother, Amir Mir, said Hamid had told him before the attack that he felt threatened and if anything happened to him the ISI chief "would be responsible".

Geo News broadcast images of Islam along with the Mir family allegations for eight hours, infuriating the military which filed a complaint to PEMRA seeking the channel's closure.

Mir has criticised the country's powerful intelligence agencies and military for their alleged role in the abduction of thousands of people in the restive southwestern province of Baluchistan.