ISLAMABAD: A newly proposed media regulator will be able to impose fines of up to Rs250 million, or roughly $1.5 million, on Pakistani media outlets that violate rules, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said in comments broadcast on Monday.
The proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority Ordinance, 2021 — which will oversee films and monitor electronic, print and digital media, including Web TV, over-the-top content platforms and news websites — has rattled journalists and rights advocates who fear it could be used to stifle dissent and free speech and institutionalize censorship.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) currently has the authority to impose a maximum fine of Rs1 million, an amount that was not large enough to deter media organizations from breaking rules, Hussain said in an interactive session with digital broadcasters.
“We are taking the fine to Rs250 million,” he said. “So, the maximum fine that can be imposed on any organization will be 250 million rupees.”
At present, Hussain said, there were seven laws to regulate media in Pakistan: “Social media was dealt by PTA (Pakistan Telecommunication Authority), press by the Press Council, electronic media by PEMRA, labor regulations by ITNE (Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees) ... newspaper registrations by ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation).”
But in order to implement the laws, they needed to be converged, the minister said.
“So, we are repealing all these laws and creating the Pakistan Media Development Authority,” Hussain said. “We are dissolving PEMRA, ITNE, Press Council as well as the censor boards.”
The censor boards, he said, would be replaced by a central board of film censors.
Hussain said the government hadn’t included the provision of imprisonment in the new proposed law. “The only action that authority can take is to impose fines.”
The government was also creating a Media Complaints Commission and a Media Tribunal: “An individual can lodge a complaint with the Media Complaints Commission and the commission will be bound to announce its verdict in 21 days. The verdict could be appealed in a Media Tribunal.”
The minister said the commission would have four members each from the government and media bodies, who would work under a chairman.
He said media “tycoons” did not want the government to create a media tribunal because it would also entertain the complaints of their employees.
“But we are bent upon creating it because otherwise this is an owner-centric media,” Hussain said.
He also criticized PEMRA for its lack of investment in media development in the country, despite being a rich state organization.
Under the new law, Hussain said, a development wing for the capacity-building of journalists would be created.
Media bodies have criticized the government’s proposal.
In a joint statement issued this month, the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) rejected the proposed PMDA, calling it a “draconian” law and describing it as “an attempt to tighten the federal government’s control over the media.”
Proposed new regulator could impose fine of $1.5 million on Pakistani media — information minister
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Proposed new regulator could impose fine of $1.5 million on Pakistani media — information minister
- Says government will set up Pakistan Media Development Authority Ordinance, dissolve existing regulators and censor boards
- Proposal has rattled journalists and rights advocates who fear it could be used to stifle dissent, institutionalize censorship
Pakistan suspends mobile, Internet service for two days in capital of restive Balochistan province
- The development came a day after a suicide blast killed five Pakistani soldiers in Balochistan’s Kech district
- The southwestern province has been the site of a long-running insurgency, which has intensified in recent years
QUETTA: Authorities in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province have suspended cellular and mobile Internet services in the provincial capital of Quetta for two days, officials said on Monday, citing “security reasons.”
The decision came a day after a suicide attack on a convoy of Frontier Corps (FC) paramilitary force in the Kech district, which killed five soldiers and injured several others.
The attack was claimed by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), one of the most prominent armed groups involved in dozens of attacks that killed over 100 people in Balochistan in 2024.
Balochistan, a mineral-rich Pakistani province which shares its border with Iran and Afghanistan, has been the site of a long-running insurgency, which has intensified in recent years.
“The provincial home department requested the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to suspend the mobile service in Quetta,” Deputy Commissioner Saad bin Asad told Arab News.
“Cellular and mobile Internet services have been suspended for two days due to security reasons,” he said, without specifying the nature of these threats.
Baloch separatist groups say they are fighting what they call exploitation of the region’s resources by the state. The Pakistani government denies the allegation and says it is working for the uplift of the impoverished region.
In 2024, Balochistan witnessed a dramatic 41 percent increase in militant attacks. Nearly 300 people were killed in 564 attacks of different variations in the province, while 44 percent of these attacks targeted Pakistani security forces, according to the provincial government data.
Sunday’s mobile and Internet service suspension also came hours after a re-election in a provincial assembly constituency, PB-45, which triggered protests by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) religious party over alleged rigging of poll.
The JUI announced a province-wide shutter down strike in the province on Monday, which was partially observed in areas where the party has strong presence.
West Indies Test squad arrives in Pakistan for two-match series
- West Indies to play two Test matches against Pakistan in Multan from Jan. 17-29, says PCB
- West Indies last toured Pakistan for a Test series in November 2006 for three-match series
ISLAMABAD: The West Indian national men’s cricket team has arrived for their first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Monday, during which they will play two Test matches.
The last time the West Indies played a Test series on Pakistani soil was in November 2006, when they played three Tests. Their last away Test series against Pakistan was in the UAE in October 2016, which was selected as Pakistan’s home venue for cricket series after 2009 when a militant attack in Lahore scared away international cricket teams from touring the country.
However, the former two-time ODI World Cup champions have toured Pakistan thrice since April 2018 — once for an ODI series in June 2022 and twice for a bilateral T20I series in April 2018 and December 2021.
“West Indies Test squad arrives in Pakistan for the two-match series,” the PCB said in a post on X.
West Indies will play two consecutive Tests against Pakistan in Multan after a three-day match against Pakistan Shaheens from Jan. 10-12 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The first Test will be held from Jan. 17-21, followed by the second one from Jan. 25-29.
International cricket teams refused to play cricket in Pakistan for years after militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, wounding six players and killing two civilians and six security officials.
International cricket and its stars, however, slowly returned to playing in Pakistan as the security situation improved. The South Asian country is gearing up to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February to March next year.
This will be Pakistan’s first ICC tournament on its home soil since 1996 when it co-hosted the ICC ODI World Cup, which Sri Lanka won.
Pakistan-China highway remains blocked as sit-in protest against power outages enters fourth day
- Enraged by power outages, enraged protesters demand government run thermal generators to resolve power crisis
- Karakorum Highway is a key land route connecting Pakistan to China via Hunza in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region
KHAPLU, Gilgit-Baltistan: The main highway connecting Pakistan to China in the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region remained closed for trade and traffic on Monday for the fourth consecutive day, as demonstrators continued their sit-in protest against power outages that residents say last for almost 20 hours.
The Karakoram Highway (KKH), a vital trade route between the two countries, was obstructed by protesters on Friday at Ali Abad, a significant point in the Hunza Valley. Protesters were enraged by frequent power outages in GB. The area has witnessed a gradual increase in trade activity following an agreement between Pakistan and China to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round to facilitate economic exchanges.
Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, last week blamed technical reasons for the power outages. He said the region heavily relied on hydropower, which often faced disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes.
Various political parties such as the Awami Workers Party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), members of the civil society and trade associations joined hands to stage the sit-in protest at the highway on Friday. Despite the freezing temperature, the sit-in protests have continued since then.
“All rounds of negotiations with the government have failed and we are still facing the worst kind of power crisis,” Zahoor Ilahi, a member of the core committee formed by protesters, told Arab News over the phone.
“We will not end the protest until our demands are met. Though our demands are to permanently resolve the power crisis, however, if they agree to run thermal generators to minimize power cuts, a consensus will be developed to end the protest,” he added.
GB an impoverished, mountainous part of the larger Kashmir region, is home to 127 hydel and 34 thermal stations but the region continues to suffer one of the worst power outages in the South Asian country.
Khuzaima Anwar, Hunza’s deputy commissioner, admitted the protesters’ demands were “genuine.”
“The people have been protesting for power crisis since last Friday and their demands for the long-term uplifting of power projects are genuine,” Anwar said.
He said the district administration engaged with protesters twice since Friday and acknowledged their demands.
“The issue is here that they are demanding we run thermal generators,” he said. “But the fuel cost will be very high and the government is not in a condition to face more liabilities.”
He said the government was also trying to negotiate with protesters, adding that members of the GB Assembly were also playing their role in ending the sit-in protest.
“Trucks and containers are stuck on both sides as the main KKH is blocked,” Anwar said. “However, there is another alternate route for miniature vehicles, and the law and order situation is under control.”
Imran Ali, former GB president, confirmed dozens of containers were stuck on both sides of the highway due to the sit-in protest.
“Tourists are also facing issues due to road blockades,” Ali told Arab News. “The government should come forward to resolve the issue.”
Pakistan concludes week-long anti-polio drive in southwestern province hit hardest by disease
- Pakistan to hold next polio drive in Balochistan during first week of February, says official
- Pakistan reported 68 polio cases last year out of which 27 were from Balochistan province
QUETTA: Pakistani health authorities on Monday concluded a week-long polio campaign in its southwestern Balochistan province, hit hardest by the disease, amid looming security threats to vaccinators and security forces guarding them.
Pakistan kickstarted the polio drive on Dec. 30 to vaccinate 2.6 million children against the disease in Balochistan. Pakistan reported 68 polio cases last year out of which 27 were from Balochistan. The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Sindh provinces each recorded 19 cases while the eastern Punjab province and Islamabad each reported one case.
Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world.
“We have achieved our set target in the last province-wide anti-polio campaign,” Dr. Aftab Kakar, the provincial team lead at the National Stop Transmission of Polio (NSTOP) program told Arab News.
“We had set a target to vaccinate more than 2.6 million children but are gathering entry data from all districts but due to the suspension of mobile service in Quetta, some entries are pending.”
Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure. To provide high immunity against the virus, multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five are essential.
“We are planning our next anti-polio drive in the first week of February 2025 with further training to the polio staff across Balochistan to make next drives more effective,” Kakar said. “We are very much optimistic that polio cases will decline this year because we have noticed a major decline since September and October 2024.”
Pakistan’s polio program began in 1994 but efforts to eradicate the virus have since been undermined by vaccine misinformation and opposition from some religious hard-liners, who say immunization is a foreign ploy to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western spies. Militant groups also frequently attack and kill members of polio vaccine teams.
On Dec. 18, provincial health authorities postponed the nationwide anti-polio drive twice due to security reasons and a boycott by health staffers. The virus killed three children, including a minor girl, in Balochistan’s Quetta, Zhob and Killa Abdullah districts last year.
In the early 1990s, the country reported around 20,000 cases annually, but in 2018, the number dropped to eight cases. Six cases were reported in 2023 and only one in 2021.
Unidentified men shoot dead two cops in northwestern Pakistan
- Both constables were shot dead as they were arriving for duty on a motorcycle from their village, say police
- Such attacks, mostly claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, have been on the rise in KP province in recent months
PESHAWAR: Two police constables were shot dead by unidentified men in northwestern Pakistan on Monday, a police spokesperson said, as Islamabad struggles to contain surging militancy in its Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province bordering Afghanistan.
Constable Himatullah and Constable Khan Bahadur were on their way to the police station from their village Kheru Khel Pakka on a motorcycle early Monday morning when the attack occurred, the district’s police spokesperson Shahid Marwat said.
“On the way, both police officers were shot dead by unknown motorcycle-borne terrorists near Nawab Khan Ziarat within the limits of Ghazni Khel police station,” Marwat said.
Such attacks against security forces and police officers have been on the rise in KP in recent months, with most claimed by Pakistan’s indigenous Taliban movement, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other militant groups that target security forces’ convoys and check posts and carry out daily targeted killings and kidnappings of law enforcers and government officials.
Pakistan has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering and supporting militant groups like the TTP, urging the administration there to prevent its territory from being used by armed factions to launch cross-border attacks.
The Afghan Taliban deny the charge, insisting Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.
