Greater responsibility: NA panel recommends wartime media rules

Meeting proposes publishing a directory of terrorists

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Chairperson Marvi Memon has emphasised upon the need for greater collaboration among the media houses and the government for dealing with content related to terrorism.

She said the government and the media houses should work out a strategy so as to counter terrorist narrative and to promote media content which neutralises the traumatic effects of terror activities.

Marvi Memon said the country was passing through the most critical phase of its history and the situation demanded manifestation of greater maturity and sense of responsibility by all stakeholders, including media houses, media-persons and all others.



The meeting recommended that a directory of banned organisations and individuals should be published in public domain.

It was decided that the media would not lend itself to the projection of terrorism as heroic and the terrorists, as heroes.

The meeting recommended that the coverage of terrorists’ statements and activities should be refrained to the maximum possible extent.

The meeting called for manifestation of greater sense of responsibility among media persons, especially anchors and reporters of the electronic media.

The meeting also proposed establishment of a consultative body between the government and media organisations for amended wartime rules.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2014.