October 22, 2002	Tuesday	Sha’aban 15,1423

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RAWALPINDI, Oct 21: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) has accused the PTV authorities of airing Western norms instead of promoting Pakistani culture.

The alliance of religious parties strongly criticized the Western-specific approach and demanded of the government- controlled electronic media to set its direction right.

“The PTV authorities perhaps are sleeping and not aware of the changes in ground realities. They will have to break from the past while keeping in view the changes in the government,” the MMA secretary information, Malik Mohammad Azam, said.

The secretary also protested against stoppage of the evening call-to-prayer on the PTV and demanded its immediate restoration.

Mr Azam said it was the duty of the government-controlled media to propagate Islamic culture and traditional manners and rites.

“Instead of making its own culture more effective to save it from the onslaught of alien cultures, our media managers are abetting in giving dominancy to the later.”

He also demanded that scarf-wearing and head-covering be made compulsory for women appearing on the screen of the official electronic media.

“Pakistan is an ideological state and its media policies should be devised in accordance with the teachings of Islam,” the MMA activist said.

There is no room for promoting Western culture, he added.