ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broad-casting on Friday expressed concern over the airing of expunged remarks against the prime minister during parliament’s proceedings by the Pakistan Television (PTV). It observed that the state TV had to be more professional.

The chairman of the committee, Senator Faisal Javed, said that PTV was the voice of the state. Adequate coverage is everyone’s right but there is no moral justification for ridiculing anyone and airing expunged remarks is a result of professional negligence.

The committee sought a formal reply from PTV over the matter.

As the committee discussed measures taken to modernise PTV, the chairman of the committee raised several queries like “what were the factors and what is the difference between the current set-up and the previous set-up?”

PTV Managing Director Aamer Manzoor said that steps were being taken to modernise all channels of PTV. He acknowledged the need for improvement in the PTV’s coverage of parliament, saying that manpower and technical capacity were needed in this regard so that a separate channel could be launched.

MD acknowledges the need for improvement in PTV’s coverage of parliament

Senator Javed said that the proceedings of the upper house of parliament needed to be properly telecast, especially when both its houses were in session. He said appropriate mechanism needed to be worked out for this issue.

He said the committee would provide all possible assistance to PTV.

Senator Pervez Rashid suggested that the parliament should have its own channel that would air proceedings of both its houses as well as those of its committees. At the same time, he said, there was room for betterment in PTV’s coverage of parliamentary proceedings.

“PTV should be the channel of the state and not of the government,” he added.

Senator Rashid also raised the issue of abduction and release of journalist Matiullah Jan and asserted that his confession had been obtained through torture. “Media should be allowed to be independent in all circumstances and the agencies concerned should be asked to respond to this query by us,” he said.

He said Mr Jan should be invited to a meeting of the committee so that he could present his views.

The Pemra Amendment Bill, 2020 was also presented before the committee, which will be discussed in its next meeting.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2020