HRW criticizes Pakistan government seeking new powers to control media

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 25 August 2021

ISLAMABAD—As part of its crackdown on freedom of expression, the government is seeking broad new powers in the garb of the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), says Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its latest report.

The proposed legislation would bolster the powers of the government to censor and restrict the media. "The government, however, claims an ordinance setting up the PMDA would replace the 'fractured' regulatory environment and 'fragmented' media regulations currently in place. The proposed PMDA would bring all media in Pakistan—print, television, radio, films, and digital—under one regulator, the HRW report said.

The proposed law would grant new unchecked powers to the government-controlled PMDA by setting up special “media tribunals” that will have the power to impose steep fines for media organizations and journalists who violate its code of conduct or publish content it deems to be “fake news,” said journalists, human rights activists, and lawyers.

The HRW report stated that the proposed law would also increase government control by allowing government officials to be appointed to key positions.

"The government has kept the final draft of the PMDA law and the entire drafting process secret, raising further apprehensions among the media and civil society groups. The government has undertaken no meaningful consultative process on the law."

With journalists under relentless attack for doing their jobs, the Pakistan government needs to stop trying to control reporters and instead start protecting media freedom, said the report.