LAHORE: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Sunday said freedom of the press was essential for strengthening democracy in the country.
"The PPP-led government has extended unprecedented freedom to the press which was not given by any government in the past," he said speaking at an oath-taking ceremony of Lahore Press Club at Aiwan-e-Iqbal.
He said PPP governments had always provided freedom to all in the country without discrimination and had never imposed restrictions on media institutions.
Acknowledging the role of journalists against dictatorial and autocratic regimes in the country, he said their sacrifices for the freedom of expression and social liberties had paved the way for rejuvenated democracy in the country.
He said there was close similarity between PPP struggles for the restoration of democracy and media's campaign for freedom of expression in the country.
Democracy and the media go hand in hand and freedom of the media guarantees sustained and stable democracy, he added.
Gilani said that the government had fulfilled its commitment by cancelling all 'black laws' of the dictator, which were imposed to curtail media freedom.
He said the amendments, introduced in the PEMRA Ordinance-2002 and Press Laws-2007 had been revoked and no hurdle in the freedom of expression would be tolerated.
He said the bill introduced by former information minister Sherry Rehman would ensure that people could get right to information through the media.
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