PEMRA (Amendment) Bill, 2023 introduced in National Assembly

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in the National Assembly session on Friday.

Speaking on the Bill, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said new amendments have been introduced in the bill to enhance the credibility of the news content and curbing disinformation as well as misinformation.

She said the definition of fake news has been made part of the bill to ensure objectivity. She further said that media organizations have also been given representation in the bill.

Sources told ARY News that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority chairman’s powers will be curtailed under the new amendments. After the legal modifications, the PEMRA chairman will lose the power to suspend or cancel licence of any TV channel.

It was also recommended to increase a member of the PEMRA board. Additionally, the legal amendments will enable journalists and media workers to register complaints against non-payment of salaries and other issues to a Council of Complaints.

Sources added, “Under the recommendations, the owners of the media houses will be bound to pay all kinds of dues and salaries to their employees within 60 days, others, government ads will not be given to those TV channels.”