The media is an important pillar in a democratic and progressive society. However, the media in Pakistan despite its being a democratic country, has faced unnecessary pressure under every government. The present government is posing unwarranted pressure on the electronic and print media by a tool called the Pakistan Media Development Authority that has become a government priority, to authorize the government to set up a regulatory authority to control the media. The powers vested in the regulatory authority under the proposed law are unjust. Media outlets are not above law and regulation, but it is not acceptable to control the media under the umbrella of a single regulatory authority by neutralizing existing laws and institutions.
There is no doubt that every government along with the opposition has been trying to control the national media. The current government also wants to introduce a bill in the name of a Pakistan Media Development Authority with the intention of cracking down on freedom of press under the guise of controlling false news.
The government’s high-handed tactics of banning the media have failed in the past and will not succeed in the future, so the government should refrain from being part of cruel measures that threaten freedom of expression. Keep in mind that the idea of banning pen and voice has never proved to be better for the country and the nation in its own right
As far as the veracity of the news is concerned, no news organization wants to be involved in the process of spreading lies, yet there is a legal mechanism for any shortcomings or complaints and it is a common practice all over the world that a journalist who fails to defend his information has to accept responsibility. If a body under the government is given full authority, the demands of justice will not be met, because such institutions will be forced to accept the truth of the present government in any news.
Media is the eye and voice of the society, but if the government tries to bring in some regulation to control it, the media will only be able to see what the government wants to show. Instead of listening to the voice of the people, it will only be able to listen to the government instructions and only be able to speak the official language. Can such a decrepit media do any useful service for the country and the nation? The media acts as a safety valve for the expression of social sentiments and the government gets acquainted with the public sentiments and feelings through these means. If the media is forced to follow the government’s lead, then the duty of expressing public feelings and sentiments remains unfulfilled. This government is not a bargaining chip for the time being.
History is replete with the consequences of the strangulation of the media in this country. Learning from this, the government should realize the need and importance of media. Instead of controlling the media, the government should look at the challenges it faces. In the face of previous governments’ desire to control the media, the current government must realize that without a strong and independent media, it will never be able to fight its case internally and externally. Through the government’s proposed law and the regulatory authority, the problems of the people may not be freely expressed, but instead of reducing the problems, they will increase them. The media acts as a shield against baseless information in the society, but if it attempts tgis, will be made to destroy existence, then society will be helpless in the face of a storm of rumours.
It is gratifying that the country’s political parties, journalists and human rights organizations are jointly condemning the black law, journalists are protesting inside and outside Parliament House, and opposition leaders are also expressing solidarity with journalists. Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maulana Fazalur Rehman have been assuring that the PMDA law will not be passed, but it is the opposition leaders who are at the forefront of restricting freedom of the press when they come to power.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain’s role is not hidden from anyone. He was a champion of freedom of expression in his opposition era. The government’s high-handed tactics of banning the media have failed in the past and will not succeed in the future, so the government should refrain from being part of cruel measures that threaten freedom of expression. Keep in mind that the idea of banning pen and voice has never proved to be better for the country and the nation in its own right.
