A Joint Action Committee comprised of various media organisations has agreed to work with the government to address the issues related to the Pakistan Media Development Authority, according to their press release.

The representatives of the Pakistan Broadcast Association (PBA), All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), different factions of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors met with Minister of Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday to express their concerns.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib was also present on the occasion.

Both the government and the members of the media bodies agreed to constitute a committee to address the issues of fake news, particularly on social media, and improve laws and regulatory framework, according to a tweet by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

During the course of meeting, the JAC expressed its reservations on the proposed PMDA and termed it “unacceptable”.

The ministry of information has refused to share the draft of the PMDA though the consultations ralted to the bill was going on. However, a document of the proposed bill was leaked and it was under discussion on social media platforms.

A social media user tweeted: “[The government] aims to abolish Press Council Ordinance, 2002, Press, Newspaper, News Agencies & Books Registration Ordinance, 2002; Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act 1973; Pakistan Electronic Media Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA Amendment Act 2007,and Motion Pictures Ord 1979.”

Talking about the policy of the government for YouTube channels in the new proposed law, a user tweeted: “Anyone running a YouTube channel in the country for content will have to register with the government ... let that sink in...”