Prime Minister Imran Khan and his ministers have stated on multiple occasions that Pakistan’s media is one of the freest in the world. These comments have been repeated with unwavering confidence during foreign media interviews as well. However, the reality is much different and the methods through which print and electronic media has been made to self-censor since the PTI took over is simply unprecedented. In its latest barrage against dissent and valid criticism, the government is planning to push through the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) ordinance that aims to regulate all forms of media and is being advertised as “independent, efficient, effective and transparent”. Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the PMDA is a horrifically draconian collection of rules and regulations that would all but abolish whatever modicum of press freedom is left in the country. To begin with, it would repeal all existing media related laws and make the new authority a single entity through which all licensing, registration and other necessary legal requirements would be processed. It states that the federal government will issue directives to the authority on matters of policy and these would be full and final. Through the authority, the federal government aims to establish crippling limits and enforce changes to editorial policies of media outlets. It will require electronic media to dedicate “5 percent of their 24-hour airtime” to broadcast content “in public interest” as directed by the federal government and would ban airing or publishing anything that would “defame or ridicule” the head of state, armed forces or judiciary. The term “public interest” has been deliberately left vague and it will be determined by the federal government what exactly falls under this category and as per the ordinance any media station acting against it will have its premises seized by the authority.
Perhaps one of the most dangerous proposals in the ordinance is the formation of tribunals that identify violations of laws set out under the PMDA and punish the accused media outlets that includes but is not limited to 5-year imprisonment and two Rs 25 million fines. What is more, the only court where the accused can present his defense has been limited to the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The obvious motivation behind this is to restrict legal recourse by making it expensive and eliminating the possibility of appeal.
In its current form, such a law would be impossible to get through parliament, which is why it will be bulldozed through as a presidential ordinance and eventually lapse. But it would still remain in place for at least eight months. It is therefore imperative that all media representative bodies and progressive media outlets oppose and reject the PMDA collectively and outrightly.
