The PTI’s relationship with the media is a complicated one. As an opposition party it received crucial support from the latter in promoting and projecting the party as a realistic third national-level political party option for voters; an alternate to the PML-N and the PPP. However, since coming to power, the PTI has been unable to fully develop and maintain a healthy working relationship with the media. The recent weaponization of PECA 2016 through a presidential ordinance, enhancing its ability to take cognisance, making the punishments stricter and longer and converting bailable into non-bailable ones, was a controversial and unnecessary move. While the government knew that it was going to face criticism, it probably did not realize that it would face such broad-based opposition, which was also so strong. Bar associations and press bodies, including not just print but electronic body representatives, as well as bodies representing both owners and editors, as well as workers, were all up in arms against the ordinance, which all rightly saw as a violation of the freedom of press. This latest faux pas and previous attempts such as the Pakistan Media Development Authority Ordinance, 2021 to restrict press freedom is exactly what the PTI’s key ally in Punjab and the center, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi was referring to when he warned the PM Imran Khan to be cautious of his advisers “who are creating a gulf between him and the media”.
Prime Minister Imran Khan would do well to heed this warning as it is quite apparent that his cabinet was split on the decision pass this law, that too through an ordinance, bypassing parliament to avoid any debate or voting on the matter, and lasting for only 120 days. The attorney general called it a ‘bad law’ and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has recently stated that the government is now ready to withdraw the PECA Amendment Ordinance. Perhaps if more time had been given to formulate a better law with input from all relevant stakeholders, the exercise would have been more productive without further damaging relations with the media.
