The National Assembly standing committee on information and broadcasting has approved a bill aimed at allowing newspaper owners to establish television or radio channels. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Bill, 2004, would now be presented in the National Assembly for passage, possibly during the ongoing session. It, however, would come into force after its approval from the senate and going through the constitutional requirement of presidential assent to it.
The committee, which met here on Tuesday with MNA Begum Rehana Aleem Mashhadi in the chair, also approved Newspapers, News Agencies and Book Registration (amendment) Bill, 2004.
Both the bills were referred to the committee after their introduction in the assembly some six months ago.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid informed the committee that the proposed bill would provide legal framework for regulating matters pertaining to newspapers, agencies, books and printing press.
It would also provide for the authentication of declarations of newspapers, their registration and other allied matters, the minister informed the meeting.
He also informed the meeting that the proposed amendment was aimed at removing impediments in empowering district magistrate to authenticate the declaration.
About Pemra bill, he said it would empower the authority in using regulatory tools and strengthen enforcement mechanism by conferring additional powers to the Pemra.
It would also remove anomalies that exist due to ambiguous provisions and ensure greater clarity in the provisions relating to licensing, he added.
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