PBA rejects media courts proposal

KARACHI: Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has strongly rejected proposal of setting up media courts by the government.

In a statement on Friday, the PBA said that the government should apprise the stakeholders of the actual motive behind the proposal. It may be noted that a day earlier the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) had rejected the proposal of media courts. The PBA said that a day earlier an incomplete document was shared with it which did not elaborate the purpose of setting up media courts. It gives the impression of another effort to control the media and restrict the Freedom of Expression.

The PBA opined that before 2018 general elections the ruling party had promised to encourage Freedom of Expression and the media. The broadcasters body urged the government to shed the proposal of media courts as laws, courts and regulatory authorities are already working to deal with media and its related issues.