US diplomats visit NPC, get briefing on PMDA, media curbs

ISLAMABAD: Diplomats of the United States visited the National Press Club (NPC) on Tuesday and interacted with senior journalists, who briefed them about the situation of the media in the country with special reference to the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) and media restrictions.

The PMDA had been rejected by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), all media organisations and associations, opposition parties, lawyers, civil society members and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

US Embassy spokesperson Ms Heather Eaton, Monica Pons and Shehla Rizwan from USAID visited the National Press Club, held interactions with senior journalists and the PFUJ office-bearers. PFUJ President Shahzad Zulfiqar, Secretary General Nasir Zaidi, National Press Club President Shakeel Anjum, Joint Action Committee Chairman Afzal Butt, senior journalist Mazhar Abbas, anchorperson and journalist Hamid Mir, senior journalist Tariq Chaudhry and others attended the interaction.

Shahzad Zulfiqar and senior journalists gave a detailed briefing on the media situation in the country, restriction on the media with special reference to the proposed PMDA and other issues of the media. Nasir Zaidi said the meeting focused on situation of the media in Pakistan and visiting delegation questioned about different aspects of the media and they were briefed about the media restrictions and views of senior journalists on the proposed PMDA, which had been rejected by all media organisation and associations.