ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting invited Saqib Nisar, ex-chief justice, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Rana Muhammad Shamim, ex-chief justice of Gilgit-Baltistan, and Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Editor in Chief, The News regarding news published in electronic and print media in its meeting held on Monday in the PTV Headquarters, Islamabad.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Mian Javed Latif, MNA. The chairman informed the committee that a news was published in the electronic and print media regarding ex-chief justice Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) claims in a signed affidavit: “Saqib Nisar directed not to release Nawaz, Maryam before 2018 Elections”.

During the course of discussion, the committee decided to invite Saqib Nisar, Rana Muhammad Shamim, and Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman to have their point of views before the committee in its next meeting.

While discussing the issue regarding murder attacks on Absar Alam, former chairman, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) and also other senior journalists, Hamid Mir, Matiullah Jan, Asma Sherazi and Asad Toor, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (ICT) briefed the committee that the efforts are being made by the ICT Police to arrest the culprits involved and also assured that they will take up the matter in their departmental committee for provision of security to the said journalists.

The committee deferred the government bills, namely, The Motion Picture (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Pakistan Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and a private member bill, The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020 (moved by Uzma Riaz, MNA).

The committee also deferred the calling attention notice regarding increasing obscenity on TV channels (moved by Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali and other MNAs) till its next meeting due to paucity of time. The committee decided to convene the next meeting on 15th December 2021 at the PTV Headquarters to discuss the same agenda.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021