Pakistan journalists, writers join hands at PLAC seminar to oppose PMDA bill: Report

On Tuesday, the Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) and the Association of Progressive Writers held a seminar at the Punjab Institute of Language, Art and Culture (PLAC) on the current situation in the country and the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PDMA) bill.

The seminar was held in collaboration with the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), chaired by Union's Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi, reported The News International. In his remarks, Zaidi stated that Pakistan cannot become a safe country without the protection of free media, and that the government's false news propaganda is intended to curtail media freedom.

Sohail Warraich, a senior journalist, said that the fight for press freedom led by the Association of Progressive Writers and the PUJ was a good sign for the country.

According to The News International, the seminar's clear position of journalists and intellectuals will ensure the protection of press freedom. Meanwhile, senior journalist Khawar Naeem Hashmi claimed that around 220 million individuals in the country are now citizen journalists because of social media.

Qamar Zaman Bhatti, president of the PUJ, stated that the PMDA bill would target all writers, poets, and philosophers. The speakers pledged to fully support the PUJ in its struggle for press freedom and to take part in the long march, which will begin in Balochistan in the month of November.

Notably, numerous journalists and writers have pledged to resist and battle any government measure that threatens press freedom, including the PMDA bill, reported The News International. 

'Pakistan continues to suppress free expression in digital spaces'

It is worth noting that despite being a democratic country, Pakistan continues to stifle free expression in digital spaces, preventing citizens from engaging in the government's operations by depriving them of a viable means of airing their grievances.

According to the 'Pakistan Freedom of Expression Report 2020' published by Media Matters for Democracy (MMD), Pakistan ranked poorly on all measures that define free expression, and the COVID pandemic increased Pakistan's digital censorship.

Pakistan received a score of 30 out of 100 on the assessment report rating, indicating that the government has imposed restrictions on free expression and prevented citizens from discussing pandemic related information, according to analysts, as reported by The News International. 

Image: Twitter/@Hamid Mir