Senate Meeting: Panel set up for Freedom of Information Bill

Sub-committee recommends mandate of ministry must be amended to incorporate importance of free media in country.

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday gave final approval for the setting up of a sub-committee which could work with the information ministry to finalise legislation on freedom of information.

The convenor of the sub-committee will be Senator Farhatullah Babar, whereas Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah and Senator Daud Khan Achakzai will be its members.

The sub-committee recommended to the government that the mission statement as well as the mandate of the ministry must be amended so as to incorporate the importance of developing free media in the country.

The sub-committee also decided that it will address the issues in advertisements, certification of newspaper circulation by the Audit Bureau of Circulation, and the protection of working journalists against professional hazards. The modalities for undertaking these tasks however have not yet been decided.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2012.