Media barred from live coverage of PA sessions

Karachi

In a move being dubbed as a blow to democratic values, the Sindh Assembly has ‘for the time being’ barred TV reporters from live coverage of not only assembly sessions but also stayed them from recording any other activities going on inside the assembly building. 

The decision came on Monday, a day before the assembly was to resume its sessions to begin general discussions over the provincial budget for fiscal 2016-17, proposed on June 11.

Previously boasted of as an exclusive Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) feat, the party’s speaker in the assembly cited security concerns as a justification for the decision.

As per the Sindh Assembly’s statement issued to media personnel, associated with both print and electronic, ‘cameras would not be allowed inside the assembly building whereas live coverage of assembly proceedings was cancelled for now due to security reasons.’

The statement further read, ‘Those channels which desire to acquire coverage of assembly proceedings may get it from the Media Box installed near the boundary wall of the main assembly gate.’

The opposition lawmakers believed the decision was taken because the government did not want speeches opposing the budget to be aired on TV.

The budget was presented in the Sindh Assembly by Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah and the entire activity was reported live from the house while the post-budget conference held a day after the announcement of budget was also covered by the channel.

The decision was, according to reports, taken during the party’s meeting held on June 10 at the CM House; the decision was taken by the provincial chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and was endorsed by the speaker assembly.

MPA of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Khurrum Sher Zaman, however, lambasted the government over the decision. He termed the decision an outright negation of the concept of freedom of expression and democracy.

“This shows that the provincial government has autocratic tendencies.”   Zaman said his party would lodge a protest both outside and inside the assembly premises.