Private TV channel: Senate body annoyed at absence of representatives in meeting

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges expressed its resentment on the absence of any representatives of a private TV channel in the meeting.

The committee summoned the chairman Pemra along with the channel’s chief and the entire management to put attendance and explain their position in this regard in the next meeting.

The committee met with Senator Muhammad Tahir Bizinjo in the chair at the Parliament House on Thursday.

During the meeting, the matter of consideration of privilege motion moved by senators, Professor Dr Mehar Taj Roghani, Rubina Khalid, Dr Zarqa Suhrawardy Taimur, and Dr Humayun Khan Mohmand against a private TV channel on airing a fake, false and malicious news report on 12th September 2023, was taken up.

The committee expressed its resentment at the absence of any of the channel’s representatives.

The committee also showed dissatisfaction with the brief submitted which contained baseless, frivolous and fake information trying to mislead the committee and manipulate the facts in order to stand corrected.

The committee remarked that the brief submitted led to further probe and inquiry in the matter and summoned the chairman PEMRA along with the channel’s chief and the entire management to put attendance and explain their position in this regard.

The meeting was told that it was reported, therein, that the senators have pressurised the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) to decrease the threshold of passing marks in the national registration examination conducted by the PMDC for candidates who completed their MBBS degrees from foreign countries and senators are involved to get the failed candidates passed.

The matter was referred by the chairman Senate on 12th October 2023.

The committee iterated that not only the senators are individually targeted but also have dishonoured the sanctity of the Senate Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination which has been working diligently for oversight and monitoring of the country’s health department.

The committee members were of the view that this news bulletin was aired as a deliberate attempt to defame the senators and to impede and distract the proceedings of the Senate Health Committee on several issues of fair dealing and public interest.

Earlier in the meeting, privilege motions moved by Senator Talha Mehmood and Senator Umer Farooq were deferred due to the movers’ absence.

The meeting was attended by senators, Saifullah Abro, Professor Dr Mehar Taj Roghani, Rubina Khalid, Dr Humayun Khan Mohmand, Prof Sajid Mir, and Khalida Sikandar Mandro.

Officials from related departments were also in attendance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023