Marriyum announces to withdraw PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023

Islamabad: Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, declared on Monday that the PEMRA Amendment Bill 2023 would be withdrawn in response to the journalists' protest.

During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information, the minister made the announcement.

Marriyum Aurangzeb remarked during the meeting that the government was interested in removing the "black laws" of PEMRA and that she respected the concerns voiced by the press community on a few sections of the bill.

The minister declared that the PML-N supports the freedom of expression and that neither it nor the people's constitutional rights would be compromised.

Despite being opposed, Ms. Aurangzeb claimed that the law had been developed with involvement of all parties.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb moved amendments in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which were passed by the National Assembly.

An amendment in clause 2 proposes to ensure “fair, transparent and independent rating to the broadcasters for their TV channels.”

Through an amendment in Section 4, a new sub-section was added after sub-section (3) that proposes “the Authority by registering rating companies shall ensure that fair, transparent, and independent forums shall issue rating to the licensees’’.

The minister suggested substituting clause 8 of the bill as reporting by the standing committee by following. “8. Amendment of Section 20, Ordinance XIII of 2002.- In the said Ordinance in Section 20 “(a) in clause (e), the expression “and such content will be in addition to preamble and the licensee will also submit an annual compliance report to the is effect or as and when required by the Authority;” shall be added.