APNS, CPNE, PBA, media organisations being taken onboard
Staff Reporter
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said on Tuesday that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government believes in free and independent media and making efforts for its development.
According to a private Tv channel, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib was responding to the statement given by PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb regarding PMDA.
He said under the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) there would be job security as well as timely payment of salaries to the journalists of both print and electronic media.
“Journalists working in the electronic media had no platform for the resolution of their issues,” the minister said, and added although consultations on determining framework of the Authority are underway, it was beyond comprehension as to why PML-N was criticising it.
Farrukh made it clear that the PMDA was meant for the development of media. “The purpose of the entire exercise is to facilitate journalists by bringing in all media organisations under one umbrella,” he explained.
The minister said the idea behind the formation of PMDA had been inspired by the western countries’ handling of the challenges arising out of the growth of electronic media in recent times. “Earlier, laws were enacted overnight,” he said, and claimed that the PTI government had taken the lead in terms of consulting all the stakeholders prior to the enactment of any law.
Farrukh said the way PML-N had treated the media when it was in power is an open secret. “The government is in no mood to gag media.
Some people are misguiding people through different explanations of the PMDA,” he said, and added, “The government is holding consultations with APNS, CPNE, PBA, press clubs, media organisations, and all the stakeholders on the constitution of the Authority.”
The minister disclosed that all the stakeholders have assured the government of their complete support for its efforts to regulate media and ensure job security to journalists besides timely payment of their salaries.
Meanwhile, German Ambassador Mr Bernhard Schlagheck called on Provincial Minister for Industries and Trade Miam Aslam Iqbal at the office of Punjab Board of Investment & Trade.
Matters of mutual interests, bilateral cooperation and investment opportunities in Punjab were discussed in the meeting.
First Secretary of the Economic and Political Section in German Embassy Mr Christian Bottcher and Chief Operating Officer Punjab Board of Investment & Trade Jalal Hassan were also present in the meeting.
