=> LAHORE – The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan h | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

=> LAHORE – The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan h

LAHORE – The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called for withdrawing amended PEMRA Ordinance, terming it as intended to add to the punitive actions against media.

The HPCP, through a statement on Wednesday, also shared the concerns of the journalist community, which it was showing over promulgation of the Cyber Offences Ordinance describing it as a means to create panic among the media persons.

It said that the said law aimed at curbing freedom of press and to spread fear in society. “Unless this atmosphere clears up, no guarantee to the free and fair election can be given”, it added.
It said if PEMRA and other allied laws remained subject to the authority of the executive, the media could never be deemed free in the country and the people could not have access to the facts and information.

Alluding to the recently lifted ban on broadcast of a private TV channel, the HRCP asked the government to withdraw the amended PEMRA Ordinance in a situation when the bitterness against media subsided.

It noted lifting of the ban hours before the president’s departure for European countries and said that he should have gone earlier so that the needful would have been done at that time.
Source: The Nation
Date:1/24/2008