NA panel discourages telecast of indecent content

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting was Thursday unanimous in a call for discouraging the telecast of indecent and controversial content on television channels with special reference to the slogans relating to the World Women Day. The committee, which met here under its Chairman, MNA Javed Latif, decided to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the issue, to be attended by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority(Pemra) and proprietors of the electronic media. Raising the matter, MNA Aftab Jehangir contended that the views expressed by certain people about the women rights were repugnant to Islamic teachings which no person could watch in the presence of family members. He was referring to the recent row between a writer and a woman social activist. Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said that Islam was champion of the women rights and protected their rights, but anything against our religion and socio-cultural values will not be allowed to be promoted in Pakistan. She pointed out that the Constitution gave the right of freedom of speech but being an Islamic and democratic country, there were responsibilities of the citizens, and nobody could be permitted to ridicule Islamic way of life in the name of freedom of speech. “This is not any issue of the government but entire society. The government is committed to protecting women’s constitutional, legal, political, social and economic rights,” she maintained. She noted that the incumbent government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, was opposed to every sort of exploitation of women. She said that empowerment of women was needed but nobody should be allowed to misuse this slogan to promote indecent and immoral activities in the society.

The meeting also expressed concern over non-issuance of the production order of PML-N MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique on the day of meeting due to which he could not attend the meeting.

The committee members expressed their dismay over intimation of the meeting only two days before the meeting for they have to reach from far-flung areas and have to cancel all other engagements for this meeting.

The committee also constituted a four-member subcommittee comprising Aftab Jehangir, Naz Baloch, Nadeem Abbas and Akram Cheema to look into the issue of recent appointments of anchors in the state run TV. The meeting was attended by MNAs Usman Khan Tarakai, Nasir Khan Musazai,Tahir Iqbal, Akram Cheema, Aftab Jehangir, Javeria Zafar Aheer, Syma Nadeem, Nadeem Abbas, Maiza Hameed, Naz Baloch and Zulfiqar Ali Behan. Secretary Information Akbar Hussain Durrani and senior officers from the ministry and its attached departments were also present.