PEMRA (Amendment) Bill, 2023 sails through NA, Senate

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which aims to bolster journalists' interests and cultivate an atmosphere conducive to an independent and responsible media sector. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb tabled the bill in the house after it sailed through Senate with certain amendments. The minister said that the bill was finalised after vigorous consultation for 12 months to repeal the black law enforced in 2002. Under the bill, the parliament had been empowered to appoint the PEMRA chairman in future, she added. The bill protects the rights of media workers and journalists. It mandates all media house owners to settle their outstanding dues, including salaries, within a two-month timeframe. Read more: Govt withdraws PEMRA (Amendment) Bill, 2023 The minister congratulated the entire house, the prime minister, Parliamentary Reporter Association (PRA), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and all other organisations for the passage of the landmark bill. Earlier in the day, the Senate had unanimously passed the bill as well. While addressing the upper house of the Parliament, Marriyum stated that the bill's definition of misinformation and disinformation aligns with the standards set by the UN Human Rights Council and has garnered support from 12 countries. The minister said it is aimed at protecting the rights of working journalists, regretting that a deliberate attempt was made to make it controversial. Marriyum said that the government, under the bill, will not give ads to the media outlets which do not clear the dues of media workers in two months. She recalled the parties in the coalition government have waged a struggle for freedom of expression. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the house that a delegation of journalists met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, describing the bill as a milestone for the journalist community. He said that the premier, after discussion with the journalists, gave the direction to get the bill approved. (With additional input from Radio Pakistan)