PEMRA's Private members form committee to 'implement rulings'
The committee comprises Israr Abbasi, Fariha Iftikhar and Shama Parveen Magsi.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Private members of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) formed a three-member committee on Wednesday seeking implementation of rulings regarding suspension of Geo TV licences, Dunya News reported.
The committee comprises Israr Abbasi, Fariha Iftikhar and Shama Parveen Magsi.
PEMRA’s private members held a session at PEMRA headquarters here on Wednesday. The agenda of the meeting was to review decisions regarding suspension of Geo TV and was attended by Israr Abbasi, Mian Shams, Farikha Iftikhar, Shama Parveen Magsi and Zaiba Hassan via video link.
PEMRA’s governmental members also reached the headquarters. The government members included Secretary Information Dr Nazir Saeed, Pervaiz Rathore among six other members.
Government members Kamal-ud-Din Tipu and Ejaz Ghauri did not participate in the session. Government members demanded to adjourn the session for four weeks. Due to the difference of opinion between government and private members, the session was recessed for an hour.
The government members didn’t go back into the session after the recess; following which, the private members announced to form a three-member committee seeking implementation on their decisions regarding Geo TV’s suspension.
The next session of the committee has been summoned for 17 June. Talking to the media after the session, PEMRA’s private members complained that government members did not even bother to sit in the session.
They said that the session that was summoned on May 27 was illegal and that the one that was held today (May 28) was legal.
They said that the court has made it clear that PEMRA is independent in their decisions.
PEMRA members said that the tickers that ran after their May 20 session were fake, adding that they kept looking for this spokesperson. They said that they have immense pressure, claiming that PEMRA employees are being threatened and frightened.
They said that if the government doesn’t want to implement PEMRA’s decisions, they should say so openly.
Committee members said that Geo TV’s apology will be reviewed in the upcoming session that is due on June 17.
