FBR chairman, interior, information secretaries removed as permanent members of PEMRA

PTA, PBA, provincial govts to appoint one member each

The federal government on Friday issued amendments in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Ordinance of 2002, Radio Pakistan reported.

According to the ordinance, federal govt can issue directives only on PEMRA's policy matters and in accordance with Article 19. However, PEMRA will not be bound to accept all instructions issued by the government.



The number of PEMRA members have been reduced down from 12 to eight. A 22- grade member will be appointed by the federal government on a permanent basis. The chairman of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), secretaries of both Interior and Information ministries have also been removed as permanent members.

Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) will nominate a member and all provincial governments will appoint one member each in PEMRA.

In April, the Supreme Court removed former 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 PEMRA chairman. He said the committee, constituted after securing the prime minister’s approval, also included prominent journalists and the PBA chairman.