Pemra Ordinance 2002 needs revamping
ISLAMABAD (April 11 2008): The abolition of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) ordinances introduced on November 3 would not mean that the media is free from the shackles in disseminating information to the masses.
President Pervez Musharraf had on November 3 promulgated two separate ordinances to impose curbs on print and electronic media. Non-compliance was subjected to discontinuation of newspaper publication for up to 30 days, and in case of television channel up to three years of jail and Rs 10 million fine or imposition of both.
The ordinance issued by the President on November 3 had also made the ‘Code of Conduct’ part of the ordinance of which the PBA was taking care of earlier. The Code of Conduct was an amalgam of proposals made by the government and the PBA. The announcement made by the Prime Minister was to simply make the Pemra ordinance 2002 functional as it used to be before November 3, the day emergency was imposed, would not suffice to make the media free.
The question regarding the independence of media is still looming as the 2002 Ordinance needs revamping. According to the Pemra Ordinance 2002, the authority should consist of a chairman and twelve members and the power to appoint them is given to none other than the President of Pakistan.
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), President, Mazhar Abbas told this scribe that after the implementation of Prime Minister’s decision the affairs of media would be monitored by the original ordinance and clauses attached to the ordinance would no longer remain effective.
He said that the ordinance needs an overhaul as we had reservations on the Pemra ordinance 2002 at the time when it was formulated. The parliament should take the matter into its consideration and overhaul the Pemra ordinance after having consultation with the representatives of the media. Abbas said that the authority should have to be an independent and self regulatory body comprising members form civil society and media as well.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:4/11/2008
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