Firdous says Pemra needs overhaul
GUJRAT: Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan says officials of the police and customs departments have been appointed to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority and it needs young professionals with journalistic background to boost up the image of the country.
Addressing ‘Meet-the-press’ programme at the Gujrat Press Club on Saturday, Awan said: “Such officials have material interests in getting such lucrative slots but I have prepared a plan to kick them out of the institution.”
PPP MNA Sameena Fakhar Pagganwala and Mian Fakhar Pagganwala were also present on the occasion.
The minister said she was revamping her ministry to improve its efficiency. “The Pakistan Radio too is being revived on solid grounds given the fact that the medium is gaining popularity across the globe.”
The Radio Pakistan would generate revenue as well as employment for the young generation.
She said the Pakistan People’s Party was not making consultation with the PML-Q for any political benefit rather “the process has been started in the best national interest.
At present the country needs political unity and the PPP is a proponent of politics of patience and reconciliation”. The minister said the media, both electronic and print, could play an important role in presenting a better image of the country.
She stressed upon news channels to talk about hope instead of ‘vulgarity’ and negative news.
Awan said the journalists’ community should also pinpoint ‘black sheep’ who were defaming the profession. “If the media emphasises eradication of corruption from politics, it must also adopt some course of action to eliminate corrupt elements from its own ranks,” she said.
The information minister said cable operators would be given the status of industry to streamline the sector which created employment for a number of people.
Talking about the demand for a southern Punjab province, she said: “The PPP thinks that the Seraiki belt has been ignored in the past and the unemployed youth of southern Punjab can go into the hands of terrorists due to their poor economic condition, so the government takes the demand for such a province seriously.”
The minister announced a Rs0.5 million grant for the Gujrat Press Club on the request of PPP MNA Sameena Fakhar Pagganwala who also addressed the journalists.
Earlier, club acting president Arshad Butt, Younus Saqi, Waseem Ashraf Butt and Abdul Sattar also spoke on the occasion.
Source: Dawn
Date:4/24/2011
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