Media watchdog faces legal, operational challenges: chairman

ISLAMABAD/ HYDERABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has faulted its ‘perceived ineffectiveness’ on legal challenges as well as the historical baggage it is supposedly carrying, its chief Absar Alam told the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday.

This is compounded by a lack of resources resulting in operational difficulties, Alam said. In compliance with the SC’s June 15 order in the media commission case, Pemra’s chairman submitted a comprehensive report regarding challenges faced by the regulatory body. The Pemra chairman is himself the petitioner of this case.



He says other than manpower, immense financial resources are required to upgrade the technical capability of Pemra so as to bring it to the level where it would be possible to effectively monitor 107 channels. Pemra can currently  monitor only 50 channels.

The current set-up requires 182 employees, while it possesses strength of only 29 people, Alam said.

Likewise, he said 107 channels require that Pemra operates with the strength of 380 officers and staff.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2016.