ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf regime is mulling over a new regulatory authority to monitor electronic, print as well as social media.
Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday announced a broad outline of the proposed Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA), irking stakeholders including journalists who decried that they are not being taken on board on the issue.
Briefing the Senate standing committee on information and broadcasting, the minister said the PTI government would regulate all media and no one will be able to defame anyone under the new law.
Fawad Chaudhry told the committee that the government was working on a proposal to bring all media regulatory bodies under the proposed PMRA.
‘This would be done by merging all existing rules and acts related to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA),’ he said.
Highlighting the benefits under the proposed regulator, Ch said it would introduce one-window operation to address complaints and other regulatory aspects of the media.
The information minister said the draft had been forwarded to Pemra, PCP and other media bodies including Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors, All Pakistan Newspapers Society and the Pakistan Broadcasting Association.
Referring to the proposed law, Information Secretary Shafqat Jalil told the committee that in future electronic media would be allowed to air advertisements only after a green signal by the information ministry.
