ISLAMABAD The National Assembly's Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting decided in principle on Tuesday to do away with all amendments that were made in the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority Act by Gen Pervez Musharraf on Nov 3, 2007, and to send a draft bill to the prime minister.
The decision was made on the request of Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira who said that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had promised on the floor of the house that all amendments made to the Pemra Act of 2002 on Nov 3, 2007, would be abolished. Earlier, the committee discussed the bill clause by clause and recommended changes in some of the clauses while dropping a clause which stated that a licensee would not broadcast anything which was known to be false, baseless or mala fide.
Speaking on the occasion, Information Secretary Mansoor Suhail assured the committee that the government was committed to freedom of expression and did not want to take any step which could be interpreted as pressure tactics against the media.
MNA Bushra Rehman said that national interest should be kept supreme and there should be some limitations on the freedom of expression. She said India had banned Pakistani TV channels, but in Pakistan Indian channels were being shown without any restriction.
Pemra chairman Mushtaq Malik said it was the responsibility of all TV channels not to air anything against the two-nation theory and the interest of Pakistan.
Committee chairman B. Hasnain said that Pemra should perform its duty keeping in mind the national interest.
Later, the committee approved an amendment to the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Ordinance, 2008.
The meeting was attended by Prince Mohiuddin, Farzana Raja, Bushra Rehman and Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jeelani.
