No final draft of PMDA, no ord being promulgated Farrukh.

ISLAMABAD -- Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Wednesday said the government had held a wide ranging consultation process with stakeholders on proposed bill of Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) to move forward.

Briefing a sub-committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on PMDA framework, he said all stakeholders including PBA, APNS, CPNE, major press clubs of the country and PFUJ had been consulted on PMDA framework.

He said the sub-committee convener Marriyum Aurangzeb went to protest camp and termed the PMDA black law. He added that it would have been better if convener of the sub-committee had remained neutral and presented her position at this forum. He said presently there were seven laws and seven organizations including PEMRA, Audit Bureau of Circulation, Press Registrar, Press Council of Pakistan regulating the media and the government has planned to unite them under PMDA umbrella. This would not only reduce budget but also facilitate the process, Farrukh Habib said. He said the Media Complaints Commission would take decision on applications of journalists and media workers connected with electronic, print and digital media in 21 days. The decisions of the Media Complaints Commission could be challenged in the Media Tribunal, he said adding, the Tribunal would also have 21 days to take decisions whereas its decision could only be challenged in the Supreme Court.

Media Complaints Commission will take decision on applications of journalists, media workers in 21 days

He said the Media Complaints Commission would be an independent body which would not be under the influence of PMDA. He said Media Complaints Commission offices would be set up in Lahore, Multan, Sukkur, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad.

Habib said the government had taken guidance from the Ofcom, Singapore and Malaysia's models of PMDA, adding, there was a need for any such authority as journalists and media workers demanded to resolve their major issues including delay in salaries and wage board.

The state minister said there was no final draft of PMDA and no ordinance was being...