President Alvi signs Pemra amendment bill into law
Qasim Zia
ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi signed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, according to an official statement from the President’s House.
The statement noted that the bill has been granted approval under Article 75 of the Constitution and has officially become a law.
Former Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, speaking to the press, congratulated media workers, emphasizing that they’ve successfully aligned the legislation with democratic principles, fundamental human rights, and the Constitution.
She highlighted that the addition of Article 19 to the law has translated the concept of freedom of expression into reality.
Regarding the bill’s provisions, Aurangzeb mentioned that it will safeguard the financial well-being of media workers by making it mandatory for media houses to settle journalists’ dues for two consecutive months to be eligible for government advertisements.
Aurangzeb also pointed out that the bill enacts the shift of authority from the Pemra chairman to the Council of Complaints, and the inclusion of representatives from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) in the council has also been institutionalized.
She praised the bill as a joint accomplishment of both media workers and media houses.
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