Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Sunday advised Prime Minister Imran Khan to remain “wary” of the latter’s advisers and accused them of creating a rift between the government and the media by making false statements.

In a statement released to media outlets, he expressed his concerns over reports that the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf leaders are not allowed to go to media and some of the members have reservations over going to “certain news channels.”

Pervaiz, who belongs to the coalition party of the government, said that he has been tasked by PM Imran to resolve the matters pertaining to the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act Amendment Bill 2022 between the government and media.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, in a telephonic conversation, on Wednesday urged Pervaiz to play the role of a mediator between the government and media on the Peca Amendment Bill 2022, which has drawn severe criticism from journalists.

President Dr Arif Alvi on February 20 promulgated an ordinance to amend Peca, 2016, aimed at countering fake news, amid the opposition and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's concerns over the tweak.

Elahi, who is also the Punjab Assembly speaker, was of the view that because of such reports the ruling party could not present its point of view before the public.

“Freedom of expression is the beauty of democracy,” he said and urged the prime minister and the party leadership to review its decision pertaining to tweaks in the Peca ordinance.

He also expressed concerns over the reported withholding of advertisements for some newspapers and TV channels by the government, saying that if the bar on ads was imposed in the context of Peca.

The PML-Q leader was of the view that government advertisements were public money and should not be used to target specific newspapers and channels.

“I am surprised that why media houses are being targeted by the PTI,” Pervaiz said.