Govt believed in freedom of media, says Marriyum

F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday said that during the past year, the incumbent government had strived hard for the redressal of the excesses committed by the past regime against the media persons.
She was speaking at the oathtaking ceremony of newly elected office bearers of the Jhang Press Club and Jhang Union of Journalists here. The minister reiterated that the incumbent government fully believed in freedom of media and freedom of expression and was taking all possible steps for that purpose. On the contrary, she said the previous government had instituted numerous baseless cases against journalists during its tenure.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the government had not taken any vindictive action against any journalist since coming to power in April last year, adding it was taking measures for the welfare of journalists and media workers. She said that the Ministry of Information had organized training programmes to enhance the professional skills of journalists.
Taking a jibe at the PTI regime, the minister said that the dark period of four years was over now when programmes, columns and channels were shut down. She expressed the hope that the newly elected office bearers of Jhang Press Club would work for the welfare of the journalist community of the area. The minister administered the oath to the 11-member body of Jhang Press Club, including its President Liaquat Ali Anjum and Secretary Khurram Saeed.
Economic situation improving gradually with decline in trade, current deficits: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said the economic situation had been improving in the country with a gradual reduction in “federal, trade and current deficits.”
“When we assumed responsibility of the government, Pakistan had been out of the IMF programme, our default risk had risen, the government was losing more than Rs 100 billion monthly on unaffordable fuel subsidy. Last year our imports were $80 billion and exports were $31 billion,” said the minister in a series of tweets. She said the country had the “largest trade deficit of $49 billion and current account deficit of $17.5 billion”. “We also had record budget deficits in all PTI years,” she added.
Marriyum, however, said that the economy was being stabilized by reducing the current account deficits. The minister said the prices of commodities were increased due to the flood and repayment of the massive loans taken by the PTI government. “But we have increased BISP payments and given free Atta to the poor and things are finally looking up.”
PTI regime’s ‘deliberate negligence’ behind lapse in FIFA Cup’s coverage by PTV: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb informed the National Assembly that “deliberate negligence” of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) regime to benefit a private channel was behind the lapse in the FIFA World Cup’s coverage by the Pakistan Television (PTV).
She apprised the National Assembly that a complete report on the FIFA World Cup’s coverage lapse by the PTV would be tabled before the House after completion to reveal facts behind missing an important international event due to deliberate negligence of the previous regime to benefit a private channel.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was probing the issue of telecasting rights to A-Sports was underway and its report on completion would be presented in the House, she added. The minister was responding to a question of Shagufta Jumani of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) pertaining to the failure of PTV to live telecast the Federation International Football Association (FIFA) World Cup 2022 hosted by Qatar that had incurred huge revenue loss and deprived the nation of a global event, besides supplementary questions from other assembly members.
Marriyum said getting the football world cup’s rights was not done in months rather it was a year long process that started in 2021. The previous regime did not start the process timely that left the Pakistani screens deprived of an international event. However, her ministry under he leadership engaged Tensports to manage coverage of the world cup and got it telecast across country, but the exclusive rights were not available to the PTV, she added.
Earlier, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhary Muhammad Shahbaz Babar told the House that the PTV had always broadcast the international football tournaments. He said the bidding for the FIFA World Cup’s telecast rights was closed in 2021. He alleged that former information minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain deliberately gave the rights to the private sports channel A-Sports.
A departmental report, in that regard, was being compiled and would be sent to the Minister for Information who would brief the House soon whereas strict action would be taken against the responsible for the negligence, he added. Sheikh Rohale Asghar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said the FIFA World Cup issue was a previous matter but the Pakistan Super League-8 was aslo not broadcasted live on the PTV and asked the parliamentary secretary to apprise the House about any action if taken in that regard.
Shagufta Jumani, however, rejected the three-member departmental committee probing the issue and termed it a mere eye wash as all of the members were from the PTV, who themselves were responsible for the negligence. He stressed private members should be engaged for a transparent probe.