Journalists gather in Islamabad to protest “unacceptable” Pakistan Media Development Authority
Journalists came together on Sunday in Islamabad to protest the planned Pakistan Media Development Authority describing it as an unacceptable attempt to curb freedoms accorded to the press by the Constitution.
Protestors responded to a call by the Pakistan Federal Unit of Journalists and they were joined by opposition parties, civil society, and representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar Association, High Court Bar Association and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
The protestors plan to continue their sit in during the President’s address to the joint session of Parliament later today. Journalists said they will also stage a walkout from the press gallery of the parliament on the call of the Parliamentary Reporters Association.
Many journalists spoke on Sunday’s event.
Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present and said the issue wasn’t a political one “but an issue of denial of right of expression and freedom of press.”
He also said the government could contact news outlets if they had issues with the content aired instead of creating the PMDA.
Others took to twitter to talk about the issues at stake.
Some reported on how the PMDA was described as unacceptable.
Others reported from the event itself.
PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb tweeted a video to show the attempts made to block the protest.
Ahmed Saeed of Voice Net shared video of journalists crossing the barricades in an attempt to reach D-Chowk.
Pakistani journalists also held a demonstration against the proposed PMDA in London.
Source: Aaj News
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