ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage on Wednesday constituted a sub-committee expediting the process of finalisation of The Protection of Journalists Bill, 2014 moved by MNA Sahibzada Tariq Ullah.
MNA Naeema Kishwer Khan was named as the convener of the sub-committee while Zeb Jaffar, Amer Dogar and Chaudhry Tufail would be its members. Chairman of the committee Pir Aslam Bodla said that the sub-committee would have one month time to prepare its recommendations.
The committee also considered The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2017 moved by MNA Dr Fouzia Hameed. The committee was informed that PEMRA was working on an amendment in its act to make it more effective.
The committee was further informed that after the approval from PEMRA board, the draft of the bill will come to the ministry which would present the same to the committee for its input and Dr Fauzia Hameed should also be invited to that meeting so that her suggestions could also be incorporated in the bill.
The committee deferred the Redistributive Land Reforms Bill, 2017 moved by MNA SA Iqbal Qadri till its next meeting due to the absence of the mover. The committee was presented with a briefing on the working and performance of national history and literary heritage.
Members of National Assembly Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Muhammad Khan Daha, Waseem Akhtar Shaikh, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Zeb Jaffar, Parveen Masood Bhatti, Arifa Khalid Parvez, Ch Muhammad Tufail, Dr Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Naeema Kishwer Khan, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Sahibzada Tariq Ullah and MNA Dr Fouzia Hameed attended the meeting.
Besides Minister of State Marriyum Aurangzeb, senior officers of the Ministry of Information Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage and officers of PEMRA attended the meeting.