PDM government withdraws controversial PEMRA Amendment Bill amid stakeholder opposition
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 7 August 2023
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The PDM government has withdrawn the PEMRA Amendment Bill after facing significant opposition from various groups. This decision follows concerns that the bill could impose negative restrictions on media freedoms.Summary
ISLAMABAD—In a notable development, the departing PDM government announced on Monday its decision to retract the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The National Assembly passed the bill on August 3, setting forth provisions related to registering and monitoring TV channel ratings and defining the parameters of disinformation and misinformation. The bill's withdrawal came after encountering objections from certain stakeholders who raised concerns about specific provisions within the proposed legislation, as reported by Dawn.
Opposition to the bill was firm among journalists, their associations, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. These groups feared the bill could favor presenting a single perspective on matters. Additionally, broadcasters raised questions regarding the government's role in overseeing ratings.
Prominent journalist Hamid Mir voiced his opinion on Twitter, stating that no journalist could support a bill granting the government sole authority to appoint the head of PEMRA while allowing media owners to delay salary payments from one month to two.
This reversal marks a significant turn of events as the PDM government heeds the concerns of stakeholders, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of the proposed amendments to the PEMRA ordinance.
KEY POINTS:
- PDM government announced withdrawal of PEMRA Amendment Bill, 2023.
- The bill faced strong objections from journalists and human rights groups.
- Concerns included government control over media ratings and disinformation definitions.
- Prominent journalist Hamid Mir opposed the bill's provisions on Twitter.
- The reversal reflects the government's responsiveness to stakeholder feedback.
