National Assembly Speaker (NA) Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has said that the Parliament strongly believed that independent media was the cornerstone of democracy and has encouraged its constructive criticism.
He said that media served as an interface between the parliament and the public; therefore, it should impartially report the performance of the parliament.
The NA speaker was talking to newly-appointed Minister of State for Information Ms Marriyum Aurangzeb who called on him in Parliament House on Thursday.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that media was an integral part of the parliamentary system and necessarily it has a vital role to play in strengthening our parliamentary edifice. He said that it was only by respecting each other’s roles and responsibilities that the Parliament and the media could develop a healthy and cooperative relationship, which was vital for strengthening our democratic structure.
He said that the Parliament and media have an inseparable relationship, in which the Parliament heavily relied upon the media to deliver their message and opinion to the general public. He stated that the Parliament and the media were the two fundamental institutions in a modern democratic society.
Minister of State for Information Ms Maryam Aurangzeb endorsed the endeavours of the NA speaker in providing the proper space and facilities for the journalists and media outlets. She expressed her gratitude to the speaker for his view and impeccable support for the freedom of the press. She said that the media have a role to play in observing and sometimes criticizing the MPs and the institution of parliament, but such work must be done within the norms of journalism.