F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee has passed the PEMRA (Amendment) Bill 2023.
This was informed by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb in her tweet posted last night. She extended her gratitude to all the stakeholders especially the Joint Action Committee (JAC) for their efforts, time and input in preparing the PEMRA (Amendment) Bill 2023.
She wrote in her tweet: “I am pleased that the NA Standing Committee for Information & Broadcasting passed the PEMRA (Amendment) Bill 2023 today, which I had laid in the National Assembly yesterday. The Bill was approved by the Committee after a comprehensive discussion between the Committee members and I. The Bill was prepared after extensive consultations with all stakeholders who are part of the Joint Action Committee (PFUJ, PBA, AMEND, CPNE, and APNS) over the course of the last one year. All stakeholders were taken on board, and their inputs and feedbacks were incorporated into the Bill.
“The Bill was finalised and laid after sign-off from and ownership by all stakeholders. I would like to thank the Joint Action Committee for their active participation, time, effort and valuable input in preparing this Bill.
“The primary objective of the Bill is to improve the welfare of journalists, and enable a free, responsible and ethical media environment in Pakistan, as practice in democratic countries around the world.
“The Bill addresses various important long-standing issues and matters including arbitrary, unchecked concentrated powers of Chairman PEMRA, lack of representation of PFUJ and PBA in PEMRA Authority and the Council of Complaints, delayed payments of journalists’ salaries, and the definitions of misinformation and disinformation.
“I will be holding a press conference tomorrow to share the salient features of the Bill, and the details of the extensive participatory and consultative process carried out to prepare this Bill which culminated in the sign-off and ownership of the final Bill by all stakeholders.
