Overseeing details: Govt forms panel to revise media code of conduct

A nine-member task force will conduct the review of existing laws.

ISLAMABAD:

The government on Thursday constituted a committee with the mandate to remove ambiguities in the code of conduct for media and devise an effective implementation mechanism.

“On the directions of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the ministry of information, broadcasting and national heritage has constituted a committee with the mandate to devise an effective implementation mechanism, with revised composition of a complaints commission.

According to the details, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Irfan Siddiqui will be chairman of the committee while President All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), President Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), President Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Secretary Law, Justice and Human Rights Division and Additional Secretary Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage will be the members of the committee.

The development came on the heels of the formation of a task force set up by the National Assembly standing committee on information to review existing rules and regulations related to the media.

The nine-member task force, comprising a consensus group of top lawyers would conduct a comprehensive review of all existing laws, rules, regulations at the federal, provincial and local levels which are either directly named as media-related laws, or have a bearing on the operation and output of media.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2014.