PML-N cautions govt against media control

Marriyum says PTI govt’s anti-media policies rendered thousands jobless

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb warned the government on Friday against any attempt to curb media freedom in the country saying that any such move would be detrimental to the government itself.

Speaking at an event of the Council of All Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), PML-N spokesperson said freedom of press and democracy go hand-in-hand.

She said that any attempt to control the media or reduce its role to an advertisement of the government would be a myopic approach.

The PML-N spokesperson claimed that the government was delusional if it believed that by crippling the media it would empower its rule.



Aurangzeb said that the current crisis in the media industry was meticulously designed by using advertisement as a tool and applying the ­method of divide-and-rule.

The PML-N spokesperson remarked that PTI owed its existence to free media but after reaching the corridors of power the opportunists started putting curbs on the flow of information.

“The political party that came into power promising ten million jobs has put a hundred and thirty seven thousand people out of jobs in less than six months through its anti-media policies,” she said.

The PML-N spokesperson claimed that the current government is placing bars on media and even excelled past the dictatorial regimes during which the newspapers faced censorship and were banned from publishing.

She said that the government instead of using the resources in a negative manner should invest in the capacity building of journalists.

“At this hour, there is a need for all media organizations and bodies to rise above themselves and unite for the common cause to brave this onslaught on the right to freedom of press,” she said.

“An effective actionable strategy needs to be devised through broad consensus among all media stakeholders in order to battle the tough time faced by the industry.”

Aurangzeb observed that media organizations and their workers in the country had many successful struggles to their credit as they always stood by democracy in the face of oppression.

She said that the current oppression would also be defeated with the same spirit.