It is necessary to amend the pertinent legislation to maintain press freedom while removing false information and libelous material in light of the quickly changing media ecosystem. This can be accomplished in one of two ways: either through dubious legislation, like the Pakistan Media Development Authority bill proposed by the PTI administration, or by involving stakeholders in the creation of legislation that respects press freedom while prudently regulating the media industry. Although there is space for improvement, the newly approved Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Amendment Bill, 2023, seems to find the correct balance.
The entire media landscape has changed, so amending the Pemra law was urgently necessary, according to the speaker, who also noted that in the past there had been an unsuccessful attempt to introduce a law similar to the Pakistan Media Development Authority that was rejected by all parties even before a draft had been finalized.
According to Ms. Aurangzeb, the current administration took 13 months to create the updated bill and had thorough talks with all parties involved, including media professionals, representative organizations, and owners and managements of electronic media.
“Media workers now have the ability to file complaints with the Pemra Council of Complaints under the amended law, whereas they were previously punished even for demanding payment of their salaries,”
Although there is space for improvement, the newly approved Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Amendment Bill, 2023, seems to find the correct balance.
The government’s objectives surrounding the modifications were initially unclear, but careful examination has highlighted a number of issues. The requirement that salary for media employees be paid within two months should be commended. Although there should ideally be no delay in the payment of salaries, the law at least establishes limits, and in the event of a delay, employees can file a complaint with the regulator. Additionally, a distinction has been drawn between “misinformation,” which refers to unintentional errors, and “disinformation,” which refers to material that is purposefully incorrect. These definitions are an improvement over the state’s infatuation with “fake news,” a catch-all phrase that allowed the authorities to stifle all opposing viewpoints, as they are more in line with international standards. It is also encouraging that a PFUJ representative and a Pakistan Broadcasters Association representative are included in Pemra as non-voting members; nevertheless, in order to give them a true voice, voting privileges should be extended to them. Clause 27 is one of the troublesome passages. This allows for the prohibition of the broadcast or distribution of a program and the referral of the issue to the Council of Complaints. While some elements of the clause seem unduly broad, they should be addressed to the council first so that the subject can be studied rather than being outright forbidden. These gaps should be investigated to produce a more balanced law.
