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Rabbani demands
repeal of anti-media ordinances
Demands withdrawal of FIRs registered by police against RIUJ, PFUJ
ISLAMABAD: Opposition leader in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on
Wednesday demanded that the two ordinances namely the Press,
Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration (Amendment)
Ordinance, 2007 and the Pemra (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2007 be
repealed immediately.
"If these
ordinances are not repealed, the combined opposition in the Senate
will move resolutions of disapproval under article 89 of the
Constitution immediately after Eid," he said in a statement on
Wednesday.
Rabbani said it was
unfortunate that 42 days had passed and the ban on Geo TV was still
continuing. "It is a matter of grave concern that Pemra has asked
other TV channels not to show live programmes or take live calls and
threatened these channels with cancellation of licenses if they fail
to comply," he added.
He regretted that in
order to continue its pressure on the media, the government
advertisements to various publications, particularly the Jang Group,
had been stopped. It is demanded that these arbitrary curbs be lifted
immediately, he said. He also demanded that FIRs registered by the
police against the RIUJ and the PFUJ members throughout the country be
withdrawn immediately.
He recalled that the
Senate did not pass the original Pemra bill as passed by the National
Assembly, therefore, it was referred to the mediation committee of
both houses under article 70 of the Constitution. Rabbani said the
combined opposition managed to clip some of these powers but
subsequently after three months of the passage of the bill from the
parliament, the regime brought back the powers deleted by the
parliament through another ordinance. "This made clear the intent
of the regime that it does not believe in a free press and wants to
keep the media under pressure," he added.
Rabbani said the
imposition of November 3 emergency was an unconstitutional step,
therefore, all steps taken, actions done and laws promulgated were
ultra vires of the Constitution.
"The ordinance
issued with regard to gagging of the press is of no legal effect and
the state continues to enforce laws which do not exist," he
added.
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