ISLAMABAD (May 04 2007): The Opposition and Treasury benches on Thursday paid tributes to print and electronic media people for their courageous role in highlighting the issues confronting the nation. Both sides urged the government to work for solution of financial problems of the journalists community by implementing the 7th Wage Board Award.
The government tried to take credit of freedom being enjoyed by electronic and print media. The opposition alleged that government issuance of notices to Aaj TV and other electronic channels suggested that the government was scared of the freedom of the media.
On the request of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain allowed to hold a discussion on freedom of media to mark the ‘World Press Freedom Day’. Leaders of all political parties expressed their sentiments and observation regarding the freedom of expression in the country and passed some recommendations to government.
PPP-P Central Information Secretary, Sherry Rehman said: “Musharraf regime never gets tired of making tall claims of its commitment to media freedom. Ironically, this government’s record of violating media freedom is matched only by Zia-ul-Haq’s draconian era,” she said.
According to independent reports, over two dozen journalists had been killed in Pakistan during the last seven years and 68 journalists have been abducted, arrested or detained, 81 tortured or injured, more than 114 threatened or intimidated, while there have been 37 attacks on media property.
Reiterating her party’s serious commitment to the cause of free media, Rehman said that her party had been and would always be, supporting any legislation that paved the way for better working conditions for the journalists and an improved information environment.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Haider Abbass Razvi suggested that ministry of information must play its role for the implementation of wage board award so that the economic conditions of journalists could improve. This would help them to do their job more satisfactorily and concentration.
He suggested that the Ministry of Information should organise training workshops for coverage of war, election and other emergency situation after taking certain precautions for their own safety.
Minister for Ports and Shipping, Babar Ghauri endorsed his fellow lawmaker that economic uplift of journalist was essential to produce quality work. He asked the media to refrain from giving their views and only focus on news. MMA’s Liaquat Baloch, Hanif Abbasi and Samia Raheela Qazi termed it the fourth pillar of democracy and said it should be freed from the clutches of Pemra.
Liaquat Baloch said if government believed in freedom of press than let it debate on every government policy to bring ‘Black Laws’ of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in the Assembly for debate.
Hanif Abbasi said it was wrong to give credit to present government for issuing licenses to private TV channels as India and Bangladesh have more number of TV channels than in Pakistan. MP Bhandara MNA said that the government should introduce life insurance and pension schemes for working journalists.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:4/5/2007
