ISLAMABAD: The federal government, on Monday, withdrew the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, after journalists’ associations showed reservations.
The decision came during a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, chaired by Senator Fouzia Arshad, on the proposed amendments under the new Pemra law that redefined “disinformation”.
Minister Aurangzeb told the meeting that the incumbent government wanted to abolish the old “black” Pemra law through the Pemra Amendment Ordinance.
She said that more recommendations on the law are welcomed and the next government will look into this matter.
The journalists’ associations registered strong reservations against the government’s move, saying that the proposed amendments should have been discussed.
The Senate had referred the Pemra law to the relevant standing committee of the Senate after it was tabled in the Upper House on August 4.
The NA Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting had approved the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in July, with a new definition of disinformation.
While talking to the media after the meeting, she said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had been at the forefront of fully supporting the journalists’ struggle for freedom of expression during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regime.
The minister said consultations on the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill 2023 with all stakeholders continued for over 12 months.
The bill was meant to protect the rights of journalists, and media workers. Besides, Article 19 of the Constitution, the definition of misinformation and disinformation were also added in the Pemra (Amendment) Bill 2023, she added.
All the media organisations, including All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council of Newspaper Editors, and Pakistan Broadcasters Association were involved in the consultation process, she added.
The minister said an attempt was made in the past to implement the black law of the Pakistan Media Department Authority, but all the then opposition parties stood against it along with the media organisations.
She said the government was cognisant of the medical issues of journalists and media workers so it had launched the health insurance card scheme for them.
Aurangzeb said as per the PEMRA (Amendment) Bill, 2023, it was mandatory for media houses to pay all dues of journalists and workers in two months. An objection was raised over payment of the dues in two months as a violation of labour laws, which was contrary to the facts, she added.
Under the amended bill, she said, all the powers of the Pemrachairman had been entrusted to the Authority as a whole, represented by the Council of Complaints.
The minister said it might not be possible to incorporate the proposed amendments in the bill as the National Assembly would be dissolved after two days.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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