Joint Committee Statement on PMDA

The Joint Committee of media organizations comprising CPNE, APNS, PBA, PFUJ and AEMEND have unanimously rejected Govt. efforts to establish PMDA.

The recently circulated Minutes of the meeting between Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and these organizations are misleading and have been purposefully distorted to give the impression that there was no serious objection to PMDA.

All representatives were unanimous in rejecting the PMDA draft. The Ministry is continuously trying to give the impression that sections of the media fraternity are supporting the Ministry on this draconian attempt to muzzle the press. This should be stopped immediately.

The joint committee is planning to call all human rights groups, lawyers and other sections of civil society to join hands in stopping the outrageous move by the present Govt. to put further curbs on the media.

Released by:

Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors.