Media in Pakistan independent, powerful: FM Qureshi

LONDON: Expressing his firm believe in freedom of press, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday said that media in Pakistan was independent and powerful, ARY News reported.

Addressing a ceremony in connection with ‘Independent Media’ in London, FM Qureshi said censorship on media was ‘out of the question’ and added that there were 89 TV channels in the country. He said that there were institutions to protect the rights of journalists.

The foreign minister further said that social media was also very active in the country and added that you could not hide anything in the current era.

Opposition freely expressing its views inside and outside the parliament in the country, he said and added, “We have the courage to listen the criticism.”

Earlier on July 5, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said that government was committed to the protection of rights of media workers.

Addressing a function of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) at National Press Club (NPC), she had said the rights of media workers would be protected at all costs.

“A comprehensive media policy needs to be prepared to resolve the problems of media workers,” she had said.