Journalist bodies reject proposed PMDA ordinance

LAHORE: Journalists from different organisations in the city unanimously rejected the proposed PMDA (Pakistan Media Development Authority) Ordinance 2021 as oppressive, and a bill that restricts the freedom of journalists and the media. A meeting organised by the Punjab Union of Journalists, the Lahore Press Club, Punjab Assembly Press Gallery, Lahore Photo Journalists Association and APNEC, called for a representative meeting to discuss the proposed ordinance in which print media, electronic media, social media and film have been brought under one law. They debated on the implications of the draft presented by the government.

A resolution passed at the meeting said the government was pursuing the strangulation of journalists and attacking freedom of the press through this ordinance.

It called for journalists' protections under the Newspaper Employees Act of 1973 to be restored and their extension to include electronic media workers.

The meeting called upon the government to ensure timely payments under minimum wage awards. The government, it said, should make the issuance of government advertisements conditional on implementation of the wage board award.

The meeting also demanded that the government oblige all media owners to employ their workers directly in the media and that no journalist or media worker be employed through a company or a third source. Media owners who work against the law should be duly punished. Media workers are hired through private companies that deprive them of their rights like wage award and others which is a gross abuse.

It expressed serious concern over the arrests and registration of cases by the FIA against Amir Mir, Imran Shafqat, Rizwan Razi and others who are active on social media and demanded from the government to stop the FIA's actions against journalists and provide them full protection.

The PUJ President, Qamar Zaman Bhatti, said the government was scared of social media which is the common man’s media.

President Press Club Arshad Ansari said the Lahore Press Club was the first to reject this bill. He noted that all opposition parties have also rejected it. A committee was formed to go over the ordinance section-wise and draft counter proposals.