Govt slams opposition on opposing PMDA

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib lambasted PMLN leader Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on opposing Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) and election reforms without going through the draft proposals. In a tweet, Fawad said that they even do not know what the suggestions were for electoral reforms and the PMDA. He said the opposition in Pakistan had only one role and that was to oppose every action of the government and for the purpose it was ready to make an alliance with the devil. He said it was unfortunate that those people wanted to lead Pakistan whose own decisions were even taken by others.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Tuesday asked Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to pass Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights headed by him.

Instead of politicising the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), Bilawal should rather play his role in passing the bill which was pending with the NA body for the last three months, he said in a news statement while reacting to the PPP chairman's criticism on the authority. He said Bilawal should shun hypocrisy and pass the pending bill so that it could become a law and ensure protection of journalists’ rights, the minister added.

Farrukh said Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 was drafted by the government in collaboration with the journalists community. He said the delay in passage of bill could harm the interest of journalists and media workers as it was meant to ensure their job security and timely release of salaries.

He said the opposition was criticising the PMDA without even reading its single clause. Such a non-serious attitude of the opposition reflected that they were political novices.

The minister said the proposed authority would ensure a decision on the journalists and media workers' complaints within 21 days, besides providing them an effective platform for protection of their rights.