ISLAMABAD - Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Tuesday asked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to pass Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights headed by him.
Instead of politicising the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), Bilawal should rather play his role in passing the bill which was pending with the NA body for the last three months, he said in a news statement while reacting to the PPP chairman’s criticism on the authority. He said Bilawal should shun hypocrisy and pass the pending bill so that it could become a law and ensure protection of journalists’ rights, the minister added.
Farrukh said Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 was drafted by the government in collaboration with journalists community. The delay in passage of bill harmed interest of journalists and media workers as it was meant to ensure their job security and timely release of salaries. He said the opposition was criticising the PMDA without even reading its single clause. Such non-serious attitude of the opposition reflected that they were political novice. The minister said the proposed authority would ensure decision on the journalists and media workers’ complaints with 21 days, besides providing them an effective platform for protection of their rights. He said Bilawal should tell as to what action his government in Sindh had so far taken against those who murdered journalists Ajay Lalwani and Aziz Memon in the province.
Bilawal should seek pardon from journalists’ fraternity and families of assassinated journalists for having mysterious silence on brutalities against the community. Farrukh said there was a government of ‘hoarders and profiteers’ in Sindh as inflation was going up in the province at rapid pace. In fact, the PPP led government was backing hoarders and profiteers in province, he added. Bilawal should tell as to how long he should leave the people of Sindh at the mercy of hoarders and profiteers, he said, adding there was no respite in the problems faced by its people despite the party was ruling the province for over a decade. He said those who had failed to ensure provision of basic amenities especially clean drinking water to people of Sindh including Karachi had no right to criticise the federal government.