Information minister says caretaker govt banned X over ‘compliance issues’

Attaullah Tarar informs Senate that all other social media platforms are active

ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday informed the Senate Standing Committee on Information that all social media platforms are active in the country except "X," which has been banned due to compliance issues. 

He said this decision was made by the caretaker government in response to an inquiry from Senator Barrister Ali Zafar, who chaired the Senate panel.

The Ministry of Interior has submitted its reply to the Islamabad High Court regarding the ban on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The matter is with the court, which will take an appropriate decision," the minister said.

Tarar noted that there are no restrictions on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and LinkedIn, which are widely used by the public to post various types of content. The committee chairman emphasised the importance of ensuring fundamental rights for all citizens. "Freedom of expression is a basic right enshrined in the constitution," he added. 

Zafar stressed the need for a collaborative mechanism between the Information Ministry and other bodies to ensure the dissemination of accurate information and address public grievances.

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During the meeting, Senator Irfan Siddiqui called for measures to prevent the misuse of freedom of expression, highlighting the prevalence of false and fabricated news on social media. 

Senator Jam Muhammad also advocated for a strategy to combat fake news, misinformation, and disinformation, emphasising the need for social media to serve national interests.

Senator Pervez Rasheed condemned the derogatory language and propaganda prevalent on social media. The minister underscored the urgency of addressing crimes in the digital domain, noting the absence of mechanisms to tackle issues like deepfakes.

Tarar mentioned that the federal cabinet had proposed establishing a Digital Rights Protection Authority, with a committee led by Rana Sanaullah and including the information and IT ministers.

The minister highlighted the government's efforts to clear media houses' dues amounting to Rs1.6 billion, urging them to pay outstanding wages to media workers and journalists. He noted that the Pakistan Broadcasters Association had committed to ensuring these payments.

Tarar addressed the issue of dummy newspapers, revealing that only 200 out of 2,000 newspapers are members of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS). He called for APNS to play a more active role in addressing this issue and sought a detailed report on dummy newspapers at the next meeting.

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He further stated that the federal government will fully cover the health insurance of journalists in Islamabad, with 5,000 journalists and media workers benefiting initially and 30,000 across the country eventually.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui called for transparency in the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) system to curb dummy newspapers. 

The committee was also informed about ongoing work at the Pakistan-China Friendship Center, which will include a Center for Digital Communication.

Responding to Senator Pervez Rasheed's query, the minister affirmed the ministry's strict criteria for evaluating films and emphasised the need to promote entertainment in the country. He highlighted the Film Finance Fund's role in encouraging quality local film production.

Regarding health insurance for journalists and media workers, Tarar noted that the government of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had initiated the scheme, which the current government is working to revive. 

The Federal Secretary for Information and Broadcasting briefed the committee on its functions and responsibilities, which include policy formulation on national issues related to the media, development of the print media industry, government advertisements, audit circulation of newspapers, and digital media projection.

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The committee was informed about the administrative structure of the ministry, including the Press Information Department, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Central Board of Films Censor, Information Service Academy, ITNE, Pakistan Television, Associated Press of Pakistan, and other departments.

The committee learned about the External Publicity Wing's 23 posts in 21 countries, aimed at promoting Pakistan's culture, tradition, and heritage. Chairman Senator Syed Ali Zafar requested a detailed report on the wing's performance over the last two years.

The committee also discussed the status of PTV, recognising it as a national asset and exploring ways to boost its revenue. The minister highlighted that obtaining cricket broadcasting rights from the International Cricket Council significantly increased PTV Sports' revenue.

Senator Abdul Shakoor emphasised the need for television programs to align with religious and social values. 

The committee chairman also requested a report on the rules proposed under the PEMRA amendment bill and the status of the journalists’ protection law. The chairman of PEMRA informed the committee that the rules had been drafted and sent to the Ministry of Law.

The meeting concluded with an update that the legal draft for the protection of journalists had been sent to the Ministry of Human Rights.