KARACHI: Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has expressed its apprehension over the Federal Government’s design to control print, electronic, digital and social media under the garb of the proposed Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PMRA) and one window operation.
The council threatened that such anti-media and unnecessary actions would be strongly opposed and vehemently resisted at all cost and at all levels.
The CPNE is of the view that freedom of the press and access to information is a fundamental constitutional right and a prerequisite of prosperity for a democratic society.
Furthermore, it said that any attempt to control the media is unconstitutional and undemocratic and that the proposed legislation of PMRA will tantamount to the suppressant of the above mentioned fundamental rights.
In a resolution adopted under Vice President Ikram Sehgal, the CPNE’s standing committee said that the transfer of power of issuing declaration of newspapers, journals and printing presses and regulatory certificates from District Deputy Commissioner to Federal Information Ministry was illegal and undemocratic.
The meeting stressed the need for continuity of handling print media under the existing legal framework. The meeting pinpointed that attempts were being made to take over Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) through proposed legislation of PMRA is no less than introducing ‘a congruent type judicial system’ in the country which, the meeting described as highly condemnable.
The meeting emphasized that an ideal media regulatory authority should only be answerable to the Supreme court and Parliament and not to the Prime minister’s secretariat, cabinet division or federal ministry of information.
The meeting demanded the government to focus its attention towards resolving the problems of media workers and media organizations instead of evolving special legislation in their detriment.