Top court removes Marriyum from PEMRA chairman selection committee

Minister will be busy delivering statements. Won't have time, SC says

The Supreme Court on Monday removed State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb from a committee constituted to select the Pakistan Media Regulation Authority (PEMRA) chairman, Express News reported.

Marriyum will be busy delivering statements. She won't have time for committee work," Chief Justice Saqib Nisar commented while presiding over a three-judge bench hearing the media commission case. The information secretary will replace Marriyum on the committee.



Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana said the government had formulated a seven-member committee to select the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman. He said the committee, constituted after securing the prime minister's approval, also included prominent journalists and  the Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) chairman.



The commission will nominate a three-member based panel to select the chairman. The CJP also asked what has been done to amend Pemra laws. Justice Sheikh Azmat questioned if there was any clause regulating fake news.

This is a pressing issue. Malaysia has made publication of fake news an offence, the SC judge said. Rana said it was imperative to curb the proliferation of such information.