The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has clarified its position regarding news item published in press today alleging that the authority backtracked from its earlier statement about foreign funding of a private TV channel.
It is clarified that PEMRA has never made any assertion about involvement of foreign funding in the private TV channel.
A written reply submitted to the Media Commission read that PEMRA has not made any statement about foreign funding in private TV channels. It is not even the authority’s mandate to investigate the source of funding of private electronic media. PEMRA, as a regulator, understands its responsibilities and limits. It is to put the record straight that PEMRA officials have never made such baseless assertions against any particular media group as reported in the press with reference to Media Commission report.
PEMRA strongly denies such allegations. It may be noted that TV anchor Hamid Mir while discussing the commission’s report in his talk show on July 22 has also reflected that “the present PEMRA chairman does not own allegations of foreign funding to TV channels”.
The media concern that why PEMRA did not officially rebut this statement before? It is clarified that though the matter had come to PEMRA’s knowledge two weeks ago but the authority’s legal counsel Zulfiqar Maluka had advised PEMRA not to clarify this matter in media as it was a sub judice matter. Therefore, PEMRA before the Supreme Court on July 29 has categorically denied the statement of the commission’s report.
Since, the matter has been widely highlighted in the media, it is now important to clarify that PEMRA does not own this kind of assertion and has never levelled such unverified allegations against any media group.
