ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Secretariat on Friday banned the entry of YouTubers, TikTokers and other social media influencers in the precinct of Parliament House.

According to an announcement, the decision has been taken in the wake of an incident of “misbehavior with [lawmakers] by some unauthorised YouTubers/social media influencers at Gate No 1 of Parliament House on Dec 23 last year.”

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The incident, it said, was also conveyed to the Press Reporters Association, which then claimed it was only responsible for its members and distanced itself from the YouTubers and social media influencers.

PRA secretary general Asif Bashir Chaudhry said they did not support any kind of ban on citizen journalists and the PRA believed that not only journalists, but every citizen of Pakistan enjoyed freedom of expression.

Published in Dawn, January 14th, 2023