Minister for Information and Broadcasting and National Heritage Pervaiz Rashid on Sunday said the government believed in freedom of expression but it was the need of hour to use this freedom with utmost responsibility.
Talking to media persons after visiting two-days "Education and Career Expo" at Pak-China Friendship Centre here, the minister the government was committed to protecting media freedom and it was also prime responsibility of journalists and media organisations to safeguard this freedom through responsible conduct.
He said that the government always welcomed media criticism and had not imposed any restriction since coming into power.
When asked to comment on Geo issue, the minister said the issue was under Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory (PEMRA) consideration and he would not like to interfere by issuing any statement at this stage.
He said that consultation was going on regarding matters related media, adding that APNS, APNE and PBA were also being taken on board in this regard.
Pervaiz Rashid said, the government wanted to resolve all issues through mutual consensus so that it could concentrate on other core issues including terrorism, poverty and unemployment.
Replying to a question, the minister said that the cable operators should not take law into their hands by imposing ban on any channel on its own.
He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had bitterly failed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and called upon PTI leaders to focus on issues of the province they were ruling.
Earlier speaking at the function, he said the government would pay fee of MA, M.Phil and PhD students so that nobody could be deprived of higher education. He said that 100,000 laptops would be distributed among students on merit basis.
He said," only those nations have prospered in the world that gave top priority to education and encouraged the right to raise questions". The minister also visited information desks set up by various universities in the Expo and appreciated efforts of the organiser.