Friday, March 29, 2024

Fawad seeks suggestions for improving PMDA, saying it will not restrict media freedom

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Fawad Hussein, Minister of Information and Broadcasting.
  • Fawad Chauhdry said that if there is any objection to the media in the PMDA, the relevant personnel should inform and change it.
  • “So far, no agency has commented on such a proposal, saying that such a clause violates media freedom,” the minister said.
  • Raza Rabbani said this is the darkest black law, deliberately suppressing the media and all dissenting voices.

Islamabad: Opposing the opinion that the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) will restrict media freedom, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Fawad Hussein, said on Tuesday that if any stakeholder points out that any content targeted at the media in the PMDA will change, according to a report statement.The report was published in news.

At a press conference held after the cabinet meeting hosted by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, Fawad said that if there is any objection to the media in the PMDA, the person concerned should inform the matter and change it.

The minister’s comments came after the joint media agency rejected the proposed authorization and announced the government’s “serious attempt” to suppress the media.

“So far, no agency has commented on such a proposal, saying that such a clause violates media freedom,” he added.

“It is not appropriate to simply say that this is a violation of media freedom,” the minister said.

Fawad Chaudhry said that the Senate committee has recommended that media advertising that does not pay wages be stopped.

In answering a question, the Minister of Information invited stakeholders to make specific suggestions for improving PMDA.

“PML-N’s criticism is groundless”

At the same time, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Farrukh Habib, said on Tuesday that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)’s criticism of PMDA was unfounded. He said that the negotiation process of the PMDA framework is ongoing.

He stated in the press release that the establishment of PMDA will not restrict media freedom.

He said that all media forums including the All Pakistan Newspaper Association (APNS), Pakistan Newspaper Editors Committee (CPNE), Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA), press clubs and other stakeholders have become part of the negotiation process.

He added that all stakeholders pledged to fully support measures to ensure the safety of journalists and media workers, pay wages on time, and regulate digital media.

‘Strict laws’

Former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani (Mian Raza Rabbani), while rejecting PMDA, said it violated Articles 18, 19 and 19-A of the Constitution and stated that this clearly reflects the current government’s attempt to implement it in Pakistan. Fascist rule.

“The’Pakistan Media Development Authority’ is a strict law that exceeds the Press and Publication Regulations of 1960 and subsequent martial law regulations promulgated from time to time under military rule, so PMDA was rejected,” he said.

Rabbani said that this is the darkest black law, deliberately suppressing the media and all dissenting voices.

“This, together with the attacks on academic freedom, students and intellectuals, clearly reflects the emergence of the government trying to implement fascist rule in Pakistan,” he said.

The press agency unanimously rejected PMDA

The All Pakistan Newspaper Association (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA), Pakistan Newspaper Editors Committee (CPNE), Pakistan Federation of Journalists (PFUJ) and the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors Association (AEMEND) unanimously opposed The government’s efforts to establish PMDA.

A statement issued by the Joint Media Committee stated: “The recent dissemination of information and minutes of meetings between the Ministry of Broadcasting and these organizations are misleading and deliberately distorted, giving the impression that there is no serious opposition to PMDA.” The organization.

The statement read: “All representatives unanimously reject the PMDA draft,” adding that the ministry has been trying to give the impression that certain parts of the media brotherhood support the ministry’s severe attempts to suppress the press. This should stop immediately. “

It added that the joint committee is planning to call on all human rights groups, bar associations, members of parliament and other sectors of civil society to join forces to prevent the current government from taking shameless moves to further restrict the media.


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