ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has urged Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) to assert its role in terms of freedom of expression and address the issue of disinformation and misinformation.
The committee met under the chairmanship of Pullain Baloch, MNA on Tuesday. Chairman, PCP M Arshad Jadoon apprised the committee on working and performance of the council. He informed that the council comprising of media fraternity, parliamentarians, government officials and civil society was fully functional and had been actively engaged in monitoring the print media, complaint resolution and creating awareness amongst the public.
Apprising the committee about the constrains, he said that a dedicated office premises and lack of funding, human resource and technological infrastructure were factors impeding PCP’s progression and sought Standing Committee’s support in that regard.
While replying to a question he said that notices were issued to some leading newspapers because of ethical misconduct. Regarding notices issued to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa because of his derogatory remarks about some media persons. MNA Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said in the prevailing political environment it is very difficult to believe that the media is facing no pressure and working independently.
The committee emphasised for strengthening of PCP in-terms of human resource, finances and technology in order to capacitate the council to effectively regulate the print media sector. The committee also asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to pursue holding of an early meeting of the Committee appointed under the Advisor to the Prime Minister for examination of the pending liabilities of all organisations of the ministry.
The committee appreciated the performance of the Council, however also suggested to devise a complaint resolution mechanism in terms of non-payment of salaries to the print media workers. The committee also recommended to the ministry to devise service rules of the employees of PCP.
The committee while talking up compliance of its previous recommendations directed Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation to keep the committee abreast with the development on its PSDP project in Karachi. The committee was apprised that a technical committee constituted on the direction of Standing Committee was already deliberating on the issue and its third meeting was scheduled in early next month. The DG (PBC) assured that the PBC Engineers with the support of other technological organizations, the project would be completed with indigenous resources.
The meeting was attended by MNAs; Kiran Imran Dar, Asia Naz Tanoli, Romina Khurshid Alam, Kiran Haider, Shaheen, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Sehar Kamran, Syed Amin Ul Haque, Rana Ansar, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and other officers of departments under the ministry.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026