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National Assembly committee to send draft of amendments in PEMRA law to PM

Published by TV Explore on February 2, 2010

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday decided to present the draft of proposed ammendments in Pakistan Electronic Media Authority (Amendment) Bill 2007 to the Prime Minister. The decision was made on the request of Minister of Information Qamar Zaman Kaira who said that Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani had promised on the floor of the house that all amendments made in PEMRA Act 2002 on November 3,2007 would be abolished.

He requested the committee to do away with all the changes made in the PEMRA law on November 3,2007 and restore it on November 2,2007 position.

However,the Chairperson of the committee Beelam Hasnain with the consent of the members decided to refer the proposed amendments done on Tuesday to the Prime Minister. The final decision to abolish all the amendments made in PEMRA law on November 3,2007 or retain some amendment which are considered to be in national interest would be made then.

Earlier, the committee took the bill clause by clause and recommended changes in some of the clauses while dropping the clause which stated that the licensee would not broadcast anything which was known to be false, baseless or mala fide.

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Information Mansoor Suhail said that the government was fully committed to freedom of expression and did not want to take any step which could be interpreted as arm-twisting of the media. He further told the committee that Council of Complaints was being reconstituted as the old council had expired after completion of its tenure.

Bushra Rehman, MNA said that the national interest should be kept supreme and there should be some limitations of freedom of expression. She said that India has banned Pakistani TV channels but, here in Pakistan Indian channels are shown without any restriction.
Chairman PEMRA Mushtaq Malik said that it was the responsibility of all TV channels not to air anything against Two-Nation Theory and interest of Pakistan.

Chairperson of the committee Beelam Hasnain said that the PEMRA should perform its duties keeping in mind national interests. Later the committee approved an amendment in Press,Newspapers,News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance 2008.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Prince Mohiuddin,Farzana Raja,Bushra Rehman,Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jeelani.

Senior officials of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting also attended the meeting.

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