Islamabad

Media firms reject proposed PMDA ordinance

Term it a move to curtail freedom of press, control media

Our Correspondent June 02, 2021

PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE

ISLAMABAD:

The media organisations have totally rejected the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) Ordinance, terming the concept an unconstitutional and draconian law aimed against freedom of press and expression and a step towards imposing state control to regulate the establishment as well as operation of all segments of media.

It came during a joint meeting of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ, Barna Group), PFUJ (Dastoor Group) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND).

The joint meeting was of the unanimous opinion that the proposed PMDA is intended to hinder media freedom and take control over the media by the top information bureaucracy.

The concept is an attempt to tighten the federal government’s hold over the media through one draconian authority ignoring the fact that print, digital and electronic media are separate entities each with their own defined features and respective regulatory laws.

Read Media bodies reject ordinance aimed to ‘muzzle freedom of press’

The move appears as an extension of the now defunct Press and Publications Ordinance 1963 (PPO) of the Ayub Khan era to all media platforms with regimental provisions to take over the independent and free media.

“This has no place in a democratically elected dispensation,” the joint declaration stated.

The joint meeting decided to resist the establishment of PMDA at all levels including legal recourse, protest measures and advertising campaigns to educate the public against this blatant attempt to subjugate and control the media and curtail peoples’ right to know.

The meeting decided to form a Joint Action Committee of APNS, PBA, CPNE, PFUJ and AEMEND to decide further actions and seek support from political parties, bar associations, human right organisations and other segments of the civil society to oppose the proposed attack on media and urge upon the federal government to immediately withdraw the proposal.

COMMENTS (2)

Ishrat salim | 3 years ago | Reply People who are against the issue have not even read it except being told as per interpretation by the selfish media people. Most of the issues highlighted in the ordinance are in favor of staff and low level employees of the media who remain ignored of their hard work. For example while anchors are getting very high salaries Program Producers and other staff especially journalist working in the field get very low salaries and they are not even insured while equipments are insured. The formation of tribunals are meant to hear complaints such issues from disgruntled employees who also do not get their salaries on time yet highly paid anchors do. Hence this issue is being exploited by the media owners through their highly paid members to keep their staff and other employees mouth shut. Is this ok Why not people read the ordinance first instead of just getting swayed by the others playing on media owners tune.

azmat | 3 years ago | Reply

no one in the media is bothered to tell us exactly what is wrong with the ordinance or law

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