Media in chains —Mazhar Abbas

The present government has repealed the two amended ordinances of November 3 against the media, and so far there have been no major complaints related to the freedom of the media. No press advice or notices to TV channels have been issued by PEMRA. But the controversial code of conduct still exists, and can be misused. The government has so far not addressed the core issues of newspaper employees, and has not repealed some controversial laws that could still be used against the media.

It is very important for media stakeholders, and is in their own interest, to address the issue of ‘responsible journalism’ and the ‘media code of ethics’. Journalists are key stakeholders in the situation, but they are not the only ones. Now that they have defeated the government’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy, and have ensured freedom of expression, it is time to regulate ourselves.
Media in chains —Mazhar Abbas