The Pakistan Broadcasters’ Association (PBA) amid rumors of promulgation of emergency by certain quarters and bad mouthing of a few media entities by certain groups, unanimously passed ‘Media Protection Policy.
The PBA‘s 2012 protection policy was decreed by all media entities unanimously and it was stressed that without free media, people’s natural right to information would be suffocated. In the past political parties and dictators had pulled the plug on media when and if they thought that media was not towing their line.
With hindsight and on account of forthcoming elections, Pakistan’s broadcasters united to safeguard an industry that developed itself and employs directly and indirectly, hundreds of thousands of people across the country.
In the past, channels had been shut down by force and coercion because the media had not followed ‘advice’ of political parties and pressure groups. Now no channel can be shut legally and repercussion of collective exposure, collective boycott and collective legal action would be faced by any one who tries to pull of media’s plug.
In the past, when faced with illegal shut downs, the broadcasters had no avenue where they could go and address the crime. PEMRA and respective provincial and federal governments never paid heed to the cries of PBA when it was brought under authoritarian blades.
The, independence and courage of Pakistan’s electronic media gained recognition across the world, since 2007 when it chose to rally against the then President General Pervez Musharraf.
During the reign of the present PPP coalition government and especially in the last few weeks, electronic media has been facing partial closures/shut down throughout the country.
