Pemra chairman’s powers likely to be curtailed
ISLAMABAD (April 16 2008): The federal government is likely to curtail the powers of Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) regarding seizing the equipment, sealing premises without notice or directing closure of the television station in case of violation of the law, official sources told Business Recorder.
“Imprisonment with fine as punishments on violation of law and the offences made cognisable and compoundable will also be repealed,” the sources added. However, the government intends to retain provisions which enable deputy commissioner to authenticate declaration of newspaper where the office of DCO does not exist due to partial implementation of local bodies but would delete proviso to section 19 which empowers the DC/ DCO to suspend declaration.
Other clauses, which are likely to be repealed, are as follows:
1. Any material, photographic or in print, that is likely to incite violence or hatred, create inter-faith disorder or be prejudicial to maintenance of law and order;
2. Any material that is in conflict with the commonly accepted standards of morality and decency and which promotes vulgarity, obscenity and pornography.
3. No printer, publisher or editor shall print or publish in any book, periodical or paper any material, which consists of photographs or pictures of suicide bombers, terrorists (except as required by law enforcing agencies for purposes of investigation), bodies of victims of terrorist activities, statements and pronouncements of militants and extremist elements and any other thing which may, in any way, promote aid or abet terrorist activities or terrorism.
4. Graphic or printed representation or projection of statements, comments, observations or pronouncements based on sectarianism, ethnicism or racialism.
5. Any material, printed or graphic that defames, brings into ridicule or disrepute the Head of State, or members of the armed forces or executive, judicial or legislative organs of the State.
6. Any material that is likely to jeopardise or be prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan.
The sources said that these amendments would be introduced in the current session of the National Assembly. “It is necessary to repeal the amendments made earlier in these laws on November 3 as those amendments could not lapse automatically being protected by the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) and validated by the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” the sources quoted Information Minister as saying in the previous cabinet meeting.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:4/16/2008
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