The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting directed the Ministry of Information to submit all the draft legislation, approved by the Federal Cabinet, pertaining to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Press Information Department (PID), Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) and other related Acts in the next meeting for consideration of the Committee.
2. The 35th meeting of the Standing Committee was held today at 2:00 p.m. in the PEMRA Headquarters, Islamabad under the Chairpersonship of Ms. Javaria Zafar Aheer, MNA.
3. While briefing on the matters raised by the Hon. MNAs regarding increasing obscenity on Electronic/Print Media, the Secretary, M/o Information apprised the Committee that PEMRA is not a censoring body, however, in order to monitor the transmission of private Satellite TV channel licensees, a state of the art monitoring system has established. She informed that at present, PEMRA is monitoring the content of all its licensed Satellite TV channels. In case, if any channel airs immoral, obscene or objectionable content in violation of PEMRA Laws, Rules and Code of Conduct, action is taken against the violator as per PEMRA laws. Moreover, PEMRA has issued various guidelines to satellite TV Channels on drama, morning shows and Ramadan transmission etc., she added. The Hon. Chairperson (Ms. Javaria Zafar Aheer, MNA) and the Committee Members were of the view that proper legislation should be made to prohibit all licensees from propagating obscenity/indecency through their programs, dramas and advertisements. The Hon. Federal Minister said that legislation has been completed and approved by the Federal Cabinet. The Committee directed the Ministry to submit all the draft legislation, approved by the Federal Cabinet, pertaining to PEMRA, PID, PBC, APP and other related Acts in the next meeting for consideration of the Committee. During the course of discussion, the Hon. Chairperson said that issues of protection of Journalists and Media Professionals would also be considered in the next meeting.
4. The Committee directed the Director General (PBC) and Press Information Officer (PID) to brief the Committee about the working and performance of their respective departments for the last five years.
5. Later, the Committee deferred the Private Member’s Bill, titled “The Indecent Advertisement Prohibition (Amendment) Bill, 2022” (moved by Mr. Muhammad Jamal-ud-Din, MNA) along with other legislative business and decided to consider the same in the next meeting.
6. The meeting was attended by Mr. Nadeem Abbas, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, Dr. Nafisa Shah (through vide-link), Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Ms. Naz Baloch and Prof. Shahnaz Naseer Baloch, Hon. MNAs. The Hon. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting (Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb) attended the meeting through video-link. The senior officers from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Law & Justice, PEMRA, PID and PBC were also present in the meeting.
