ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Saturday that media houses and journalists had been given due representation in the decision-making process regarding misinformation and disinformation through the PEMRA Amendment Bill, 2023, a move that would probably end the arbitrary role of the regulatory body chairman.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Marriyum Aurangzeb said a working journalist can file a complaint with the PEMRA Council of Complaints on different subjects, including minimum wages and timely disbursement of salaries.
The Minister informed that any matter related to taking action, including closing down a TV channel on charges of promoting misinformation and disinformation, would be presented before a three-member committee headed by the PEMRA head, with one member each from media houses and concerned bodies from the journalist communities.
New Amendment Bill Facilitates Journalists
She further added that the defendant would have an opportunity for appeal before the Council of Complaints where a proper representation had been provided to the broadcasters and journalists, adding that many television channels used to promote the fake news for their own gains, but they would be held accountable in the future.
She explained that government would not issue advertisements to those media channels which did not release salaries to its employees.
The Minister also criticized the previous government for misusing PEMRA as a tool to threaten journalists, adding that the recent draft was the product of consultation with all stakeholders after efforts of 11 months. She lamented that the original PEMRA law did not was not enough to provide any facilitation to the media and working journalists as it was introduced by a dictator in 2002.
