'Draft of new media regulator finalised'

Information minister says Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority will oversee print, electronic and social media

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Saturday that the draft for the new Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority to oversee print, electronic and social media has been finalised.

“We are aware of the recent surge in fake news and concerns therein, hence draft of a single, efficient and Powerful Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) has been finalised and sent to all stakeholders,” Chaudhry tweeted on Saturday.

He said that the proposed body will come into effect "after due deliberation by Parliament".

https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1084099708174385152

https://twitter.com/FawadPTIUpdates/status/1084099713677303809

Earlier, journalists had expressed skepticism over the government's move, which was announced in August last year.

In a statement, the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors said that every media category had its specific issues, nature, and operating methods, and handling all media categories with one single law would be akin to ignoring ground realities.

Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf Senator Faisal Javed Khan had also voiced his concerns on the proposed body. He said print, electronic and social media had their own dynamics and it would be difficult to cater to their requirements under one roof.