SENATE OF PAKISTAN REPORT OF THE SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION, BROADCASTING & NATIONAL HERITAGE FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 2012 TO NOVEMBER 2014 Presented by SENATOR KAMIL ALI AGHA Chairman Ghulam Murtaza Joint Secretary/Secretary Committee 1 SENATOR KAMIL ALI AGHA The Honourable Chairman, SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION BORADCASTING AND NATIONAL HERITAGE 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS DESCRIPTION PAGES • Preface………………………………………………………………. 4‐5 • Executive Summary……………………………………………. 6‐10 • Composition of the Committee…………………………... 11 • Profiles of the Senators & Secretary Committee….... 13‐26 • Pictorial View ………. …………………………………………. 27‐33 • Minutes of the Meetings……………………………………. 34‐138 3 PREFACE It gives me immense pleasure to present the 1st Report of the Senate Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage for the period from June, 2012 to November, 2014. I had honour of being the Chairman of Senate Standing Committee is a unique and novel experience, due to the vast, enriched and diverse ambit of the Committee. The broad spectrum of the purview of the Committee can be assessed by the fact that multifarious scope of the jurisdiction of the Committee ranges from sophisticated technical issues of the Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV), Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Press Information Department (PID), M/S MIDAS Pvt. Ltd , ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation), All Pakistan Newspaper (APNS), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), United Producer Association (UPA) etc. However, I feel proud that the Committee tackled all these issues superbly, due to the expertise and diligence of my worthy colleagues whose dedication and un wavered commitment brought about several achievements to the credit of the committee., it frequently engaged in conducting meetings to perform its oversight role effectively, in order to ensure the transparency and the fairness in the relevant division as well as the attached department(s), if any legislative is needed and proposed for that., as the representative of the peoples, the Committee targeted to facilitate the peoples and protects their interests. In order to perform its core function of the oversight, the Committee adapted the mechanism, which consisted of identifying the malfunction/negligence/ flaws/ misconduct/ discrepancy or deviation from any prescribed rules, probe it; suggest recommendations and follow up / pursue the implementation status. The Committee Members several times in different cases, which were closely related to the sensitive issues, visited the sites in order to know the ground realities and also cross checked the deviated statements of few officers. The Committee more focused on the structural changes, resultantly which have paid dividends to the peoples. The Committee’s efforts and the decisions were within the defined framework/mandate. I appreciate my fellow members of the Committee for their active participation and contributions, which helped me to perform this role as the Chairman effectively. I attribute the achievements accomplished by the Committee to them, because without their diligence and cooperation it would not have been possible. It would be injustice for not acknowledging the cooperation and commitment of the government official of relevant Ministries/ Divisions. The 4 Committee is determined to keep on playing its active role, by making recommendations to facilitate the Government, to resolve the issues of the public at large in the Country. We look forward to the continued cooperation of the Senate Secretariat which, under the dynamic leadership of Secretary of Mr. Amjad Parvez, has always been at the beck and call of all members of the Senate, particularly the Senate Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage .We would look forward to suggestions from our members on what may be needed to improve further this report, since it would be a regular feature of our work. I am also indebted to the Secretary Committee Ghulam Murtaza and his staff for continuously perusing the implementation status through corresponding with the relevant entities; and my personal staff for their diligence, commitment, research, valuable and sincere efforts for facilitation of the Committee to attain its goals. (SENATOR KAMIL ALI AGHA) Chairman Standing Committee 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Standing Committees are the backbone of parliamentary system in the democratic dispensation Parliaments, around the world, function through the Standing Committee, which are deemed the eyes and ears of the parliament, eyes riveted on the officialdom to oversee the executive to implement the policies enshrined by the Government. Ears committed and devoted to listen to the voice of the masses and convey to the Government of the day. These committees on one hand hold the officialdom and Government of the day, accountable and put in valuable suggestions in formulation of the policies by the Government. Furthermore, Parliaments without effective role of Standing Committees cannot discharge their basic obligations of legislation. In short, the whole parliamentary façade rests upon the pillars of the Standing Committees. The Senate Standing Committee on Information & Broadcasting according to Scehdule1, Rule 3(1) deals with matters and issues pertaining to several institutions under the administrative control of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The Committee, under the vigilant Chairmanship of Honourable Senator Mr. Kamil Ali Agha endeavored very hard to perform all the aforementioned functions of the Committee i-e parliamentary oversight and the accountability of the officialdom, conveying the sentiments of the public to the Government and legislation on the issues referred by the House. In depth, perusal of the proceedings of the Committee will reveal that despite the vast scope of the work, the Committee did not spare any important issue unattended. During the proceedings of the meetings, the Committee observed that despite significance changes in the working environment as well as the dynamics of the society, the affairs of the public entities are being run by following obsolete conventional techniques, which consequently maintain the status qou. The Committee in that scenario focused to perform effectively its oversight role, in order to get rid of status quo and avoid the misuse of the excessive power, which ultimately leads to corruption. The Committee observed that there is a dire need to evolve a fool proof system to eradicate violation and negligence of the rules, which ultimately leads to detriment of the interests of the people. It is necessary 6 to bring about core structural changes to insulate the system form corruption and to establish the rule of law. The Committee therefore, emphasized on restructuring of the public sector institutions to synchronise them with the needs of the day and to make them more effective and responsive to general public. The Committee held several meetings during the period from June, 2012 to November, 2014, and took up the issues pertaining to the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation , Press Information Department, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, some of which are highlighted below:- Highlights/Recommendation on different issues taken up by the Standing Committee o There should be fully transparency in awarding the advertisement to the news papers at federal as well as at provincial level and no advertisement should be given to the dummy newspapers. o Advertisement should not be used for political purposes. o Government should take up the matter with the channels who are insulting the politicians with very disgraceful manners. o Ministry of Information & Broadcasting should give clear cut policy line to all the stakeholders including PEMRA, cable operators and private TV channels etc o The PEMRA should implement its existing laws to control the alleged affairs. o The PEMRA should also revisit the policy of issuance of CD Channels to the cable operators. o The PEMRA should make equivalent laws for broadcasting of Indian programs at Pakistani channels as is the case with showing Pakistani programs on Indian channels. o Ministry of Information should give status of industry to the drama business and provide all necessary assistance / support as is being given to other industries. o Complete transparency should be observed in the distribution of advertisement and no pressure should be taken from any quarter. 7 o The committee expressed its grave concerns in the tragic incident of the attack as the residency of the Quaid-e-Azam at Ziarat and therefore, advised federal, as well as provinces Government to take necessary action to avoid such incidents in future. o The title of the advertisement like Polio etc. should also be clearly mentioned on the web. o Steps should be taken for the determination of rates of newspapers publishing from various cities. o There should be clear definition of newspapers of falling in category A and B as present definition is very old, and accordingly the formula for giving advertisement may be revisited. o Detail of all type of outstanding amount against each channel of PEMRA may be prescribed to the Committee. Legislation framework and the active monitoring mechanism regarding foreign contents should be revisited for rationalization. o Through competent lawyers the cases pending in the Supreme Court and Sindh High Court may be persuaded on priority basis.