President Dr Arif Alvi has assured media workers and the journalist community of his support for the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Amendment Bill 2023. The President stated this while talking to a delegation of representatives of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, today. The delegation comprised of Afzal Butt, Arshad Ansari, Naz Afreen Saigol, Sarmad Ali, Shahab Zuberi, Shakeel Masud, Ijaz ul Haq, Kazim Khan, Ayaz Khan, and Azhar Abbas. Talking to the delegation, the President appreciated the collective efforts of the media community for introducing amendments to the PEMRA law, especially to protect the rights of media workers. He said that the linking of government advertisements with the payment of dues to electronic media employees would help address their issues. The President discussed in detail various aspects of the bill with the visiting delegation, adding that the amendment bill had brought improvements to the existing media law. The President also asked the members of the delegation to volunteer to educate the youth about fake news and disinformation. He highlighted that teenagers were among the most vulnerable populations to the scourge of fake news, and they needed to be educated and sensitized about its implications. He remarked that the media, especially senior journalists, should enhance linkages with academia and universities to guide and educate students about fake news and the new developments taking place in the field of journalism. The President also urged the need to promote diversity of thought and opinions by promoting dialogue in society and free exchange of ideas. He said that the dynamics of new forms of media, especially social media, should be understood, adding that it was the responsibility of media to educate the people on morality and the use of social media in a responsible and constructive manner. The delegation briefed the President about various provisions of the new bill that would benefit the journalist community as well as media employees. The delegation thanked the President for his support and for taking interest in addressing the issues faced by the media community.
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