Second consultative meeting for defining the term “obscenity” for electronic media was held today at Avari Hotel, Karachi. It is worth mentioning here that first session on this issue was held on 27.8.2012 at PEMRA Headquarters, Islamabad in compliance with the orders of the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan on the constitution petitions filed in the apex court by Qazi Hussain Ahmed & Justice (r) Wajhiuddin Ahmed on rampant vulgarity and obscenity on media.
In the first session, representatives of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (CAP) were not available due to Eid Holidays, hence, a second session was arranged in Karachi with the consent of the panel members.
The meeting was attended by Qazi Hussain Ahmed (Ex-Ameer Jamat-i-Islami), Muhammad Hussain Mehanti (Ameer, Jamat-i-Islami, Karachi), Justice ( R ) Wajih-u-Din Ahmed, Lt. Gen. (R) Abdul Qayyum, Mehdi Hassan, Muhammad Ziauddin (Executive Editor, Express Tribune), Asif Luqman Qazi, Mazhar Abbass, Jawad Hamid Raja (PBA), Shakeel Masud (PBA), Khalid Arain (Chairman CAP), Tahir Javaid (CAP), Imran Nadeem (CAP), Ikhlaq Ahmed (CAP), Haseena Moeen, Kishwar Naheed, Sheema Kirmani, Marvi Sirmad, Samina Peerzada, Naila J Deyal, Khanam Tayyaba Bukhari, Advocate Fiaza Khalil, Ayesha Anas, Mahrukh Akhtar, Atia Nisar, Syed Hamza Mateen, Dr. Abid Rauf and representatives from Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS) and United Producers Association and PEMRA officials.
PEMRA received very valuable input from the participants representing different segments of the society who are determined to curb the menace of obscenity. A comprehensive report on the proceedings of both the consultative meetings will subsequently be submitted to the apex court in the forthcoming hearing fixed on 17-9-2012.