PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party has rejected the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority Ordinance 2021 and described it as an attempt to snatch the right of freedom of expression from the people.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said in a statement here on Saturday that the federal government had opened an ‘ordinance factory’ and it was avoiding focusing on legislation, which was tantamount to bringing disgrace to the parliament.

He said the government should table such bills in the parliament if it was sincere to introduce media reforms. He said the government was trying to control the media by imposing heavy penalties and imprisonment through the media tribunals.

Aimal Wali said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on the one hand was claiming majority in parliament, on the other it was promulgating presidential ordinances through the backdoor.

He said the government had lost confidence of masses. He said the government was trying to control journalists and media houses at all costs, but they would not allow it do so.

The proposed law, he said, was in violation of the Constitution and it was aimed at undermining freedoms enshrined in theConstitution guarantees under Articles 19 and 19-A and must be immediately withdrawn.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2021