Minister for information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid inaugurated 10 KW medium wave transmitter at Radio Pakistan Karachi today.

Director General Radio Pakistan Saba Mohsin and other officials concerned were also present on the occasion.

Our Karachi correspondent Altaf Pirzado reports that the transmitter has been installed by Radio Pakistan from its own resources at a cost of 37 million rupees to improve the transmission.

With the functioning of this transmitter, Radio Pakistan Karachi’s broadcasts can now be listened to in a radius of 200 kilometres, even in Thatta, Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, Bhit Shah, Matiri and other areas.

The work on installation of 100 KW digital transmitter at Larkana and two short wave transmitters at Landhi Karachi is also in final stages.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting and National Heritage, Pervaiz Rashid has stressed upon the need of spreading the message of peace, love and harmony through media to discourage the haters and extremism and promoting tolerance in the society.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of 10 KW medium wave transmitter at Radio Pakistan Karachi today he praised the role of engineers and administration of the Radio Pakistan for installing transmitter from its resources.

He said whole country particularly Karachi has paid huge cost because of terrorism therefore the atmosphere of peace and harmony is required to be promoted in the society.

Earlier, Director General Radio Pakistan Miss Saba Raza stressed upon the need of harmonizing all the broadcasting houses of the Radio Pakistan in the line with modernization in the technology.

Radio Pakistan

According to a press statement released by the regulatory authority, Dr Shahid Masood filed a complaint against the federal minister for criticising him and allegedly threatening him during a speech aired on public and private TV channels.

“After taking notice of the filed complaint, Pemra has conveyed the matter to Pemra Council of Complainants for taking further action,” the press release said.

In his complaint, Dr Masood, who hosts a political show on a private TV channel, maintained that the information minister’s remarks not only hurt his sentiments but also undermined his reputation all over the world.

Express Tribune

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) took notice on Sunday of a complaint against Information Minister Pervez Rashid for allegedly threatening an anchor of a private TV channel on air.

According to a press statement released by the regulatory authority, Dr Shahid Masood filed a complaint against the federal minister for criticising him and allegedly threatening him during a speech aired on public and private TV channels.

“After taking notice of the filed complaint, Pemra has conveyed the matter to Pemra Council of Complainants for taking further action,” the press release said.

In his complaint, Dr Masood, who hosts a political show on a private TV channel, maintained that the information minister’s remarks not only hurt his sentiments but also undermined his reputation all over the world.

Express Tribune

The spokesperson said the present government is committed to the security of media houses and working journalists in the country and is taking all necessary steps to create a congenial atmosphere where media persons could perform their obligations in accordance with their professional requirements and without any fear, says a press release.

The spokesperson further said that Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Federal Minister for Information, has also written a letter to all the four chief ministers for provision of adequate security to media houses and working journalists.

He said the federal government, on its part, has constituted a committee to address all security related issues concerning media houses and working journalists.The committee has held four meetings so far and follow-up meeting would be held soon to further streamline the plan of action and to intensify measures regarding the provision of safety and security of the journalists.

The spokesperson said Pakistan is successfully fighting a war against terrorism and the whole world has acknowledged the sacrifices of Pakistan in the global war. “Instead of appreciating the efforts of Pakistan and its government against this menace, the allegations and objections of Reporters without Borders are unfortunate,” the spokesperson concluded.

The News

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid Tuesday said that the journalists and security forces had made great sacrifices in the fight against terrorism by laying down their lives.

Addressing the participants of a journalists organizations’ sit-in here in front of the Parliament House, he said without the sacrifices of security forces, journalists and media workers the year 2015 could not had been made safer than the year 2013.

He said Operation Zarb-e-Azb was enjoying the support of media too. The war against terrorism was being fought with the power of pen and gun. Their enemy is common and the war would continue till complete elimination of terrorism. Attacking any media person or law enforcer amounts to attacking all of them.
Peace in the country was impossible without complete elimination of terrorism, he said

Media, he said was the fourth pillar of the state. Attacking journalists is tantamount to attacking the entire state, he added.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif immediately after assumption of his office, underlined that elimination of terrorism was his top priority. The Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff had also acknowledged the sacrifices of journalists in war against terrorism.

The National Action Plan (NAP), Zarb-e-Azb, media and every institution was playing its role in elimination of terrorism, he said.

Pervaiz said the state was duty bound to provide safe and secure environment to media persons in performance of their duty.

He said people should strongly condemn terror incidents in their respective areas and take out huge rallies to disseminate strong message to terrorists that nobody liked such abhorable acts.

He agreed with the suggestion that a special compensation package should also be announced for the martyred journalists in line with martyrs of security forces.
The government would announce special package for journalists in consultation with all stakeholders, he added.

He said the services of special prosecutors would be provided to journalists for pleading the cases of martyred journalists. The government is determined to completely eliminate the menace of terrorism, he added.

A committee headed by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also been formed for the security of media houses, he said.

A meeting would soon be held in consultation with stakeholders concerned to review security arrangements. The provinces had also been asked to beef up security of media houses.

Business Recorder

Talking to a private TV channel, he apologised over the act of the police torturing a private TV channel team and said that the First Information Report (FIR) of the incident would be launched.

The minister said the stances of the police and journalists were different over the incident which was the reason for delay in registering the FIR. The police were of the view that they were performing their duties when the sorry incident occurred, he said, adding it should not have happened.

The minister said right from the time when sit-ins were staged and the dialogue process was initiated, the government was of the view that the allegations levelled by Imran Khan publicly regarding rigging in the general elections should be included in the terms of references (TORs).

It would be up to the judicial commission to probe the allegations and the government would accept the report of the commission in this regard, he added. The minister was of the view that all the parties had agreed on electoral reforms. However, if Imran Khan had some better suggestions in this regard then the PML-N would be in favour of those suggestions.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had lodged 59 complaints in election tribunals of which more than 70 percent had been disposed of. The judiciary was independent as the same had given a verdict on their holiday to release PTI workers, he added.

The News

He proposed to the NA Speaker to refer the issue to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Information so that it could draft a policy for the protection of journalists and the issue of closure of Geo News could be settled with the help of parliament.

He said the government would take all possible measures for the protection of journalists and those involved in the attacks would be brought to justice.Responding to the request of Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid for referring the issue to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Information, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said he would consult the Senate chairman so as to refer it to the joint committee of the National Assembly and Senate on Information to review the issue comprehensively and settle it amicably.

Speaking in the House, Senator Farhatullah Babar also raised the issue of closure of Geo News, saying that despite paying the heavy penalty and suspension, it was unjust that Geo News was still not open.

He proposed that this issue be referred to the joint committee of both the houses of parliament to look into why the channel was still closed despite paying heavy penalties and tendering an apology.

Senator Babar Ghauri of the MQM also raised his voice in support of Geo News, saying Geo News was still facing suspension despite paying heavy penalties. “Geo News also tendered an apology but the channel is still facing closure,” he added.

He said Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid should also take notice of the Geo News closure and resolve it as soon as possible. “Owing to the Geo News closure, 5,000 workers will lose their jobs which are in fact 5,000 families that would face hardships, so we appeal to the government to settle this issue immediately,” he added.

Earlier, journalists staged a walkout from the Press Gallery during the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament to register their protest against the repeated attacks on the office of Geo News in Islamabad.

On the intervention of the Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid, the reporters ended their protest and came back to their seats to cover the proceedings. On the occasion, Pervaiz Rashid said last night when the Geo News office was attacked, he was attending the programme of its senior anchor Salim Safi. He said the country was confronted with a new trend of hooliganism where anybody who disagreed with anything got attacked.

Rashid, however, said that it was not weakness of the government yet it might be termed ‘our negligence’. But, he added, it was beyond doubt that ‘we stand with the media’.He said the time has come to cancel the licences of some of the cable operators. He said Pemra ought to discharge its duty. Geo, he said, has implemented the law by paying the fine and facing the punishment.

The minister said action would be taken against all those involved in the attack on PTV and other channels. He said if someone took the law into his hands, action would be taken against him.

Pervaiz Rashid said cable operators were bound by an agreement to show channels of choice of the people. He said Pemra would cancel the licences of those cable operators who had violated the agreement.

The News

Talking to the media after a function at the National College of Arts (NCA) here, the minister said Geo News was awarded punishment by Pemra for a mistake; it faced the punishment and paid the fine. Now the matter should come to an end and we should move forward, the minister added.

He promised that Geo News will appear on its original numbers on cable very soon. The government is taking legal steps for the purpose and the courts are also taking measures in this regard, he said.

The minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had never been, and it would never be, party to any move against the Constitution and the law.About the statement of former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani regarding a deal with Pervez Musharraf, the minister said PPP leaders were divided over the issue, while the former president himself had denied making any deal.

The minister said statements about a safe exit for Musharraf by the PPP leaders were contradictory. The PML-N had already made its stance clear and, therefore, the debate on the issue should come to an end now.

Pervaiz Rashid said terrorists had taken the people of Waziristan hostage in their houses for the last 13 to 14 years, but the government would not rest until these people were rehabilitated in their homes in an environment free from terrorism. The information minister said governments had always fulfilled the needs of the defence forces and the people had always offered sacrifices to make the country’s defence strong.

Regarding the situation in Gaza, he said whenever there had been any instance of brutality in any part of the world, the PML-N government had taken a principled stand on the issue. He said the Palestinian ambassador has appreciated Pakistan’s stance and thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the moral support Pakistan has extended to the Palestinians.

To a question, he said India’s defence spending had never been conservative and this was not a special instance. He said the people of Pakistan are brave and the government has everything in perspective, therefore there is no need to worry.

About Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s threat that if the government tries to sabotage the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s August 14 rally it may create a situation similar to the Model Town Lahore tragedy, he said he was at loss to understand how Shah Mehmood could foresee the future and predict that the government was planning any such activity. He said such statements which incite and encourage mob violence should not be issued at all.

About the martyrdom of three Pakistani soldiers, including a Captain, by Afghan forces’ firing, he said the matter had been taken up with the Afghan authorities and there would be no compromise on such issues and they would be sorted out through proper political channels.

APP adds: Pervaiz Rashid said it was a great achievement of the PML-N government that it had got the power generation machinery installed in only seven months. That machinery had been rusting at ports for the past seven years due to the negligence of the previous governments. The plant would start production with full capacity shortly, he added.

He said the government would explore all possible avenues to get cheap electricity for the people, adding that electricity could be purchased from some Central Asian States to meet the country’s needs.

To another question, the minister said: “The armed forces have been doing the rescue work in North Waziristan and soon people would return to their homes safe and sound.” Pervaiz Rashid said it was unfortunate that some elements were talking of revolution and revolt at a time when the armed forces were engaged in a military operation to purge the country of terrorists in the North Waziristan.

“These people want to create hurdles to the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan through their so-called revolution propaganda,” the minister said.Earlier, the minister inaugurated a painting exhibition at the Zahoorul Akhlaq Gallery at the NCA.

Addressing students, the minister said educational institutions like the NCA should be promoted in the country as these institutions promote peace and love through their artwork in the hearts and minds of the people.

He urged the need to change the mindset of the future generations through the message of art and culture against violence. The minister also gave away certificates to students whose artworks had been displayed at the exhibition.

The News

If the cable operators did not follow the rules, the minister cautioned, their licences would be cancelled by the Pemra.Talking to media persons after attending a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting here at the Parliament House, Pervaiz Rashid made it clear that the cable operators had no right whatsoever to make adjustment of channels on cable network for it was purely the discretion and choice of viewers to decide which channel they wanted to watch.

About the fines imposed by Pemra on different television channels, the minister pointed out that Geo was the only channel out of 22 that had not only accepted the penalty but also paid the fine whereas the rest had approached courts and got stay on the matter.

The minister spoke highly of Geo and maintained the other TV channels should also implement the Pemra decisions as implemented by Geo, adding that other channels hired lawyers on hefty packages but did not bother to pay fines which were less than that money.

The information minister asked the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan to wage a struggle in parliament for the change he had been talking about instead of taking to the streets for politics of agitation.

The minister said there was a rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution in Pakistan and Imran should come to parliament for pushing for any change in Pakistan.He made it clear that the government had no role whatsoever in the last year’s general elections and claimed these were held in a free and transparent manner.

The minister, while replying to a question about the problems being faced by the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the North Waziristan Agency (NWA), conceded that a home-like environment and comfort could not be provided to the displaced persons but the government was taking maximum steps to lessen their difficulties.

Pervaiz Rashid said that after suffering for three or four months, the masses would be ridden of the menace of terrorism once and for all. About reports of differences in the government circles on some issues, the minister said that the government had showed good performance and the media hence could not unearth a scandal to highlight it. He added that was why some media houses were trying to come up with concocted stories about the government and ministers.

He said the Centre had taken measures for the well-being of IDPs and it was because of this, Imran was able to have an access to them during his visit to Bannu the other day.Asked for his comment on the implementation of the new code of conduct for the media, the minister said that the draft was ready but it would be implemented after the Pakistan Broadcasting Association’s board accorded approval to it by Wednesday.

Earlier, the Senate committee under its chairman Kamil Ali Agha, asked for the implementation of the new code within a week and sought a report in this connection in the next meetingAPP adds: Meanwhile, talking to a private TV channel, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government believes in the freedom of expression and is against imposing any curbs on the media.

He assured that the transmission of not a single channel would be impeded.He said a strong and independent media helped strengthen democracy. The media should avoid levelling allegations against anyone without evidence and investigations, he added.

Regarding the attack on journalist Hamid Mir, the minister said, “I had categorically stated in live transmission with Saleem Safi that Geo TV should not criticise or blame any individual or institution for the deadly attack on its anchor.” Geo had paid the fine, which meant that it had accepted its mistake, he added.

To a question, he said the government had launched several mega projects in various sectors and initiated the Prime Minister’s Youth Scheme for poverty alleviation.Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the operation against terrorists in the NWA was launched after the option of dialogue was fully exhausted. The economic conditions in the country had also improved and any fallout of the operation would not affect the economy, he asserted.

The government’s strategy, first the dialogue process and then the operation against the Taliban, had worked and helped reduce the terrorist activities in the country, he added.The minister said the Pakistan Army was successfully conducting an operation in the NWA, which would continue till the elimination of the last terrorist from the area.

He said the IDPs would be sent to their homes and rehabilitated after the completion of the operation. The government and the Pakistan Army were providing food, shelter, health facilities and clean drinking water to the IDPs, he added.

The News

Also, he added, the army and the government stand united over the issue of national interests.

Talking to the media here on Saturday, the minister said the cable operators were not authorised to ban any TV channel and warned that strict action would be taken against those who violated the law and banned channels.

Pervaiz Rashid said the Pakistan Army is standing by the government to improve ties with India. He said it was not the army but an individual Pervez Musharraf who took the decision on Kargil and then had to go down on his knees before the then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He said the army as an institution had never intervened to sabotage Pakistan-India relations and stated he was hopeful it would not be done in future.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid said we as a nation should look forward and put behind the past bitterness with India, adding that Narendra Modi had been elected by the Indian people and we respect their decision.

About the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s protest call against rigging in the last general elections, he said bringing some people on the streets did not mean a protest. He said the Election Commission of Pakistan had already rejected Imran’s objections of rigging in Sargodha.

He said the government would hold a dialogue with those who wanted peace and the elements disturbing peace would be dealt with strictly.

APP adds: Pervaiz Rashid said talks with the Taliban had not ended yet, adding that few people did not want talks.

He said Pakistan could not ignore changes in its neighbourhood as it would have to deal with the new government of India, adding the elected people would formulate foreign policies for the next five years.

The minister said: “Pakistan is responsible for its deeds and India for its own and we should keep our deeds correct.”

The minister said it was unfortunate that big media houses had given ‘scissors’ in the hands of cable operators, adding cable operators could not be allowed to violate the law. “It is good news that cable operators are reverting,” he added.

The minister said Pemra had initiated action and hoped that cable operators would do their own job and let the authorities do theirs.

“People want a completion of the journey to success and prosperity and they have brought Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the government for it,” he added. He said no one could derail the government as such attempts remained unsuccessful in the past by some people, adding, statements of PTI Chairman Imran Khan should be ignored. “How could he criticise us when he was unable to run the KP government properly?” he added.

To a question about the transfer of the CCPO Karachi, he said Shahid Hayat was a good officer who had maintained law and order in the city and Sindh ministers had appreciated his role and it would have been better if he had remained the CCPO.

The News