NA committee directs early completion of consultation on Journalists Protection Bill

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Tuesday directed early completion of consultation with all stakeholders on The Protection of Journalists Bill 2014.

The committee which met at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, MNA, issued this direction to Information and Broadcasting Division, saying the legislation had already been delayed.

The committee was of the view that media persons and their families were vulnerable, therefore, measures from the state were imperative for their safely and welfare.

The committee deferred The PEMRA (Amendment) Bill, 2017 till its next meeting, providing members of the committee, an opportunity to give their valuable input.

The committee was not satisfied with the performance of Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) and directed to assert its authority provided under the PCP law to check pervasive violation by print media.

The committee also sought details of suo moto actions initiated by PCP against print media.

The committee decided to hold another meeting on the working and performance of PCP.

The committee expressed displeasure against the PTV engineering department on non-competition of Television Transmission Boosters despite lapse of considerable time.

The committee asked the Secretary Information Division Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera currently holding the charge of Managing Director PTV to inquire into the delay and identify the persons responsible for that inordinate delay causing loss to national exchequer and submit his findings to the committee within one month.

The meeting was attended by MNAs; Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Mian Muhammad Farooq, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Arifa Khalid Parvez, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Belum Hasnain, Murad Saeed, Dr Muhammad Azhar Jadoon, Naeema Kishwer Khan, Ch Muhammad Tufail, Dr Fouzia Hameed (mover), Secretary Information and Broadcasting Division and heads of the concerned departments.