Sherry Rehman rules out censoring TV channels
ISLAMABAD – The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman, Thursday told the National Assembly that the government would not censor the transmission of private TV channels.
While answering to supplementary questions, she said that the government had issued more than 80 licenses while as many as 46 channels are operating currently in the country. She said many channels are operating through satellites, which could not be blocked.
She said that as declared policy of the government to free media from all coercive restrictions, a legislative bill to withdraw and nullify the effects of amendment made in the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 on November 3, 2007, has been moved to the National Assembly on 11-04-2008.
Sherry said that it is not our policy to place ban on the transmission of any private TV Channel.
“However, at present media is enjoying complete freedom in the country while private channels and state run TV are busying in broadcasting the panel discussion which is usually based on critical views,” she added.
She said that the freedom of media is very important for an independent and democratic society.
Answering to another question, she said that cables’ operators themselves sometimes put the transmission of the private TV channels off the air due to fear of attacks at their offices and for this Ministry has established a hotline and anyone who fears attack can contact in this regard.
Meanwhile, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf told the National Assembly that there would be no loadshedding from 10:00pm to 7:00am to facilitate formers in the rural areas.
To a supplementary question, he said that agriculture sector is facing serious threat due to loadshedding, so the government has decided to provide electricity constantly to the formers from 10:00pm to 7:00am.
The minister said that PC-1 has been approved for Kachhi Canal Project with the total cast of Rs 31,204 million. “Out of which, the cast of Kachhi Canal Phase-1 is Rs 20,147 million,” he added.
He said that at the time of preparation of PC-1, proper investigation could not be done due to law and order situation in the project area, especially in Rajanpur and Dera Bugti, where subversive elements had laid land mines, which were cleared later with the help of Pakistan Army.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/25/2008
” 
” 
” 
” 
” 
