ISLAMABAD: A Joint Action Committee comprising representatives of the media industry and the government have made efforts to discuss the Pakistan Media Development Authority, wherein the media representatives of the committee have termed the proposed authority as “unacceptable”.
According to a press release, the meeting was held between the Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Minister of State Farrukh Habib and representatives of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors.
Issues relating to media regulation and proposed PMDA were discussed with the information minister. The Joint Action Committee expressed its reservations on the proposed PMDA.
It was mutually agreed to form a committee to address the issue amicably. The committee will address the issue of fake news particularly on social media, the rights of the media workers and ways to further improve laws and regulatory framework.
Senate committee briefed on the concept behind proposed media authority; minister asked to share draft law with all stakeholders
Meanwhile, the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting met with Senator Faisal Javed Khan in the chair. The meeting was attended by ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Farrukh Habib and newspaper editors, media owners and representatives of journalists’ organisations.
The information minister briefed the meeting on the concept behind the setting up of the PMDA.
Senator Faisal Javed of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) assured the committee that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government would not impose any restrictions on freedom of the press.
However, the standing committee members sought details about the concept behind the PMDA from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The committee chairman said all the parties needed to work together for development of media and promotion of freedom of expression, adding that there is no draft law of the PMDA for consideration before the committee.
“We will review the draft law only after it is presented before the committee and then we will give our recommendations,” Senator Javed said.
Later, a meeting of the subcommittee of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was also held. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb is the convener of the subcommittee while other members are Kanwal Shauzab of the PTI and Dr Nafisa Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party.
The meeting considered the draft law of the controversial PMDA and stressed that the information minister should share the draft with all stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by the representatives of APNS, CPNE, PBA, Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors, PFUJ and Parliamentary Reporters Association.
CPNE visits ISPR, discusses regional situation with DG Babar Iftikhar: A Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors delegation visited the Inter-Services Public Relations office on Thursday and met ISPR Director-General Major General Babar Iftikhar, where they discussed the security situation.
With the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, there has been uncertainty surrounding the journalistic landscape of the bordering country, and how that may affect the situation within Pakistan itself.
The ISPR apprised the CPNE delegation about the prevalent security environment in the wake of recent developments in the region and the consequent impact on national security. He also apprised the CPNE delegation on the situation along borders and necessary safeguards in place as part of the western zone border management regime.
The CPNE delegation thanked ISPR DG for the interactive session and apprising the senior journalists of the latest developments in the security domain.
Currently, the Pakistan Air Force is engaged in the provision of humanitarian assistance as well as facilitating recent evacuation operations from Afghanistan, which, along with other ongoing projects, have been appreciated by the army chief.
Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday last, while chairing a meeting of the Corps Commanders Conference, said constructive engagement and sustained humanitarian support by the international community was “imperative” for achieving enduring peace and stability in war-torn Afghanistan.
The meeting, which was held at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, comprehensively reviewed the global, regional and domestic security situation, the director-general of the ISPR said in a series of tweets. It was informed about the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan, the security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and safeguards put in place against various threats, the ISPR DG added.
