Hamstrung by lack of experience, the newly-installed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government seems to have acted rather naively or imprudently insofar as its decision about the country's media scene is concerned. According to it, a "unified" regulatory body for all media, including social media, will be formed. Speaking to journalists a few days ago, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the role of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) and the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) had been reviewed and it had been decided that all the regulatory authorities would be merged into one body - called the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority. According to him, there should be one regulatory authority to look at all media and the same laws and censorships should apply across the board. The new body would have representatives from the media as well, the minister reportedly said. Because the new body would save resources, the proposal would benefit the country. He then referred to the Supreme Court's remarks during a hearing about media's code of ethics and reportedly said: "In the coming days you will see major changes in the information ministry, regulatory bodies and Pakistan Television."

All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), the representative body of country's newspapers, periodicals and journals, has promptly made its reaction to the government move public by stating that the proposed merger of various media authorities into Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority will be problematic and counter-productive, highlighting the fact that Press Council has been formed as a voluntary organisation whereas Pemra is a regulatory body formed by the government with a different role. It has also conveyed to the government that any law or amendment, if required, should be undertaken in consultation with the APNS and other stakeholders. It pointed out that the last PML-N government had also proposed a law which was strongly opposed by the media organisations as it was found to be affecting the freedom of press. Moreover, in last year of its five-year tenure, ministry of information had mischievously tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to resurrect the notorious defunct Press and Publication Ordinance 1960 promulgated by military dictator General Ayub Khan by giving it a new title with a view to selling it to the public at large in general and the media organisations in particular.

While the new government deserves praise for seeking to reform present structure of state-managed media bodies, it needs to be repeatedly told that Pakistan's media is more vibrant than even India's; it is vastly different from a largely acquiescent press in South East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Hence the need for valuing, preserving and protecting the struggle for a freer press in Pakistan has so far achieved. The government is therefore required to ensure that it does not contemplate introducing any media law that contravenes the provision of 18th Amendment and the freedom of press as enshrined in Article 19 and 19A of country's constitution. It must also ensure that any structural changes in the state media bodies do not take place without input from stake-holders as it is quite unbelievable that the government reached its decision to do away with Pemra and Press Council and constitute a new body which will not only look after the electronic media but also print and cyber media, which is commonly known as social media, after consultation on the issues involved with some "friends in the media". Who are government's friends in the media? An energetic information minister is yet to provide a plausible answer to this question. His remark, however, has unnecessarily given birth to doubts and fuelled speculation about government's understanding of media laws and what actually constitutes effective and efficient oversight of broadcast, print and social media through improvements in the existing constitutional and legal framework.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018