No indecent content broadcast by media: PBA

KARACHI: The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) on Wednesday denied allegations that the Pakistani media is broadcasting indecent and immoral material.

The statement was issued in response to a writ petition urging the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to censor ‘obscene’ shows, dramas and advertisement on TV channels and Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui’s formation of a committee to investigate the matter.

“Being aggrieved by the said order and the write petition, the PBA, acting through Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, has filed and Inter Court Appeal and detailed replay before Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqi,” the PBA statement said.

“Barrister Zafar has submitted that under Article 19 of the Constitution, the electronic media has a fundamental right of ‘freedom of speech and expression, and ‘freedom of press, while under Article 19A ‘every citizen shall have the right to have access to information’,” the statement pointed out.

PBA stressed it has a duty to ‘uphold and protect’ these basic freedom which are essential for progress. “Further, because media is the fourth pillar of the state, Pakistani broadcasters must continue, in the best interest of the nation, to fulfill their right of informing and entertaining people.”

The statement added that broadcasters are “fully conscious of their responsibility to exercise their right of freedom of expression and freedom of press in an honorable, dignified and mature manner.”

Source: The Express Tribune