ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain has ruled out any change in Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) draft law dealing with rights of media workers and fake news. In his tweet on Saturday, he regretted the opposition to the proposed law.
The Information Minister said government is ready to make amendments in the draft law, except the clauses about right of media workers to approach media tribunals to enforce the agreement with their respective organizations and impose penalties on fake news.
He said it is the duty of government to give the right of legal redressal to poor media workers. Chaudhry Fawad questioned how fake news could be considered a right of media owners.
He said in the current media model of Pakistan, the rights of common man, poor media workers and public interests are not protected. He said it was possible only in Pakistan to consider blackmailing as one’s right.
The minister said it was the duty of the incumbent government to give the poor media workers the right to legal redressal. He questioned how fake news could be considered a right of media moguls.