Federal Cabinet approves establishment of special media tribunals

• Firdous told a press conference that the government would get a law passed from the parliament in that regard.
• The media’s role was important for any state and as per the Supreme Court's decision, it was the fourth pillar of state.
• The cabinet approved transfer of erstwhile FATA's Zakat funds of over Rs. 299 million to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday said the government had decided to establish special media tribunals to settle cases of media organizations, workers, owners and citizens.

Sharing the decisions of Federal Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Dr Firdous told a press conference that the government would get a law passed from the parliament in that regard.

After the establishment of tribunals, she said, all the media related cases would be transferred to them, which would be bound to decide the matter within 90 days of receiving complaints.

The decision to the effect had been taken as part of media rules and regulations the government intended to introduce in Pakistan like the best practices being followed in other democratic countries, she added.

Dr Firdous said the media’s role was important for any state and as per the Supreme Court's decision, it was the fourth pillar of state.

Setting up the tribunals would make the media more responsible, she added.

She said at present, the media organizations, owners, workers and civil society moved their media related complaints to the judiciary to get relief.

The decision would help prevail truth and supremacy of law, besides encouraging the process of self-accountability in the media.

Dr Firdous said the tribunals would hear specific media complaints and any organization or person having any complaint against the media could approach them.

The tribunals, she said, would ensure quick justice and collective and enforcement measures as per policy of the government to effectively address media related complaints based on the mechanism of present world media norms and ethics.

Dr Firdous said the cabinet expressed its concern over the fact that some elements by taking advantage of freedom of expression were levelling baseless allegations against the personal lives of government personalities, including the prime minister and federal ministers.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, she said, was of the opinion that positive criticism was vital for development of a society and better governance but some elements were using freedom of expression for personal objectives.

The prime minister remarked that some elements were intentionally spreading baseless rumours to fulfill their nefarious designs and a section of media was being used as a tool, she added.

She quoted the prime minister as saying it was being done to create mistrust between the people and the government.

Talking about the government's reformative agenda, especially its achievements in the economic sector, Dr Firdous said the people's trust was imperative for the success of its initiatives.

She said the government had decided to issue health cards to 5,000 transgender persons and for the purpose their data was being collected from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).

Health cards were already being issued to the disabled persons, she added.

The special assistant said the government had also decided to challenge the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) order regarding the rejection of an appeal against Maryam Nawaz for holding the office of Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N).

The ECP allowed her to continue work as PML-N VP being a non-functional party office-bearer, which proved that Maryam Nawaz was a convicted, she added.

Dr Firdous said extension of one-time work visa for the Chinese citizens was also approved to ensure unhindered work on the development projects being completed with the Chinese cooperation in Pakistan.

She said the Ministry of Information would set up an information helpline at all major hospitals for the general public, especially the elderly.

The cabinet, she said, gave approval for establishing old age homes in the name of 'Maskan' at district level under the Ehsaas Programme for the elderly people, who were left by their families at the mercy of circumstances.

First 'Maskan', she added, had already been established in Sialkot as a pilot project, which would be replicated in rest of the country soon. The prime minister had directed the ministry concerned to prepare priorities in that regard.

She said the prime minister also issued directives for strictly observing the deadline for filling vacant posts in various government departments.

The special assistant said the cabinet approved transfer of erstwhile FATA's Zakat funds of over Rs. 299 million to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

She said 244 rehabilitation centres would be established for the treatment of drug addicted people across the country.

At present, only three such centres were functional, she said, adding prevention from drugs would be made part of the educational syllabus to save future generations from being addicted to the menace.

Regarding growing dengue fever cases, she said the Federal Government had instructed the provinces to evolve an effective strategy to control the disease.

The Federal Government with the cooperation of provinces would take every possible step for its prevention and control as medical assistance would be provided to the dengue patients, she added.

Dr Firdous said the cabinet approved abolishing premium being taken from the customers on purchase of new cars.

Later replying to media persons' questions, she said all the stakeholders would be taken on board regarding the media tribunals, which would work under the supervision of superior judiciary.

The tribunals would be free from the government control or influence as the government functionaries would also be accountable to them.

To a query, Dr Firdous said an impression of some deal with a jailed personality was being given in the wake of some meetings with him.

The rumour mill in that regard should stop as no deal would be done.

Anyone convicted under the National Accountability Bureau law could come out of jail by returning the looted public money under a plea bargain, she added.

About Maulana Fazlur Rehman, she said he should organize an all parties conference (APC) over the Kashmir situation instead of holding the one for the release of plunderers of national wealth.

The nation expected all the politicians to stand by the national narrative that Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan and the world should pay attention to the United Nations Security Council resolutions and force India to give the Kashmiris the right to self-determination, she added.

To a question, she said the government would announce its strategy for observing the Kashmir Solidarity Hour on coming Friday.