The federal government has planned to set up Media Courts to ensure prompt justice to the media workers, besides coming up with a new advertising policy and issuing licenses to 58 new TV channels, including eight news and current affairs channels.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the government is also working for a mechanism like the Press Council in consultation with Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) to effectively address issues pertaining to media employers and their employees. She said the new advertising policy will help protect the rights of media workers and will eventually support the industry. “It will ensure better relationship between the media houses and their employees and create the optimum equation between the government and the media,” she added.
Dr Firdous said the media courts will hear only media related complaints/cases, and will help provide justice to the aggrieved within the shortest possible time. “Those will also handle the issues between PEMRA and the cable operators, who get stay from the courts of law against any action by PEMRA, which causes delay in the execution of PEMRA’s decisions/policies,” she said, and assured that the ministry wants to play an effective role for the resolution of media workers’ problems and protect their rights. “My ministry will work as a bridge between media houses and the employees,” she added.
She said as per Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to provide the best shelter and support to working class in the country, the media workers will also be well protected under the Ehsas Program. “We are going to introduce new initiative Media Workers Ehsas to mitigate their problems,” she added.
Dr Firdous said the government has a plan to formulate a framework in consultation with the PBA as a stakeholder to regulate the social media, which is not under the control of PEMRA, adding that it will be implemented in letter and spirit. She said PEMRA has some issues with the cable operators, who number 3500 throughout the country. “There are two million cable users only in Karachi. For better reception of transmission of TV channels through cable operators and to enhance the capacity of the channels, the information ministry is to introduce digitalisation policy to replace the old technology of the analog and other less efficient gadgets,” she said.
Dr Firdous also thanked the electronic and print media for good coverage and projection of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to the United States besides building positive image of the country.
After discussion on Kashmir issue between Imran Khan and US President Donald Trump, the Indian media became hostile and aggressive, and used all energy to negatively project the meeting and damage Pakistan’s image, which had always been playing a key role for peace in the region and the world over. But, she acknowledged, Pakistan’s print and electronic media countered the Indian media forcefully. She said the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf government has taken the media as its partner and wants them to sensitise the public.
