NA committee slams Pemra over Vawda controversy.

ISLAMABAD -- The NatioAnal Assembly's Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on MonAday expressed concern over the performance of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), describing the interpretation of its code of conduct a double standard.

The committee has directed the Pemra chairman to appear in person and explain the regulator's mechanism, especially in the context of a recent controversy at a TV talk show, which was described by the committee chairman as the act of "boot on the table" by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leader and Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda.

The committee chairman, Mian Javed Latif of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, claimed that the electronic media regulator's attitude was different for different violators. According to him, Pemra remains lenient towards influential personalities, but imposes severe punishments on others who commit identical violation of its code of conduct.

Members of the committee pointed out that it had became a routine matter that some anchors of TV channels humiliate parliamentarians and other public figures in live talk shows due to improper checks and balances by Pemra.

The...