Coronavirus pandemic situation: PM forms body to protect media industry, workers

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday formed a five-member committee for the protection of the media industry and media workers in the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic situation.

According to the Prime Minister Office, the committee had been constituted following the letter wrote to the prime minister by the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and it will consist of Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to PM Shahzad Akbar, Secretary Information Akbar Durrani and Shahbaz Gill. In the context of the prevailing situation vis-à-vis the coronavirus to save the media industry from any possible crisis, the PBA had directly requested the prime minister for support on this count.

Accordingly, the committee had been tasked to deliberate upon the recommendations, thrashed out by the PBA and to resolve the media-related issues.

The prime minister has acknowledged the fact that the media had a key role in combating the challenge of the virus. “Besides all those, up against the virus pandemic, journalists and media workers are also playing the role of vanguard. Every effort will be made to lessen difficulties of the media industry and to protect it,” the prime minister said.