ISLAMABAD, June 26: Representatives of media organisations, political parties, bar associations and civil society on Tuesday criticised recent violence against media outlets and government’s imposition of curbs on media and called for withdrawal of the recently amended Pemra ordinance.

A joint declaration issued after a consultation on ‘Media Laws and Media Freedom’ organised by the Media Commission Pakistan, condemned “attempts to create legal justification or use of various other leverages for encroachment on media freedom and interference with lawful functioning of media units and media persons.”

Among those who took part in the discussion were Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf’s chief Imran Khan, Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Farhatullah Babar of the People’s Party Parliamentarians, Sadia Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Kabir Ali Wasti and Akram Zaki of the PML, former SCBA president Hamid Khan, secretary-general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Mazhar Abbas and office-bearers of All-Pakistan Newspapers Society, Council for Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Pakistan Broadcasters Association and South Asia Free Media Association.

The participants demanded that “the ... practice of press advice to ... print and electronic media ... must be abandoned.”

“... Abuse of authority by blocking TV broadcasts ... must be completely forbidden,” says the declaration.

It said: “The Freedom of Information Ordinance should be drastically revised to increase access to all government records ... reduce exemptions to barest essentials ... and simplify the appeal procedure. Ways should also be found to guarantee people’s access to all records of autonomous corporations, provincial and local governments.”

The declaration said: “If a legislation regarding media or freedom of expression and right to know ... is ... needed, it shall be adopted with bipartisan consensus of both the houses of parliament in consultation with the representatives of all media stakeholders and representatives of civil society.” It also calls for reviewing the Press Council Ordinance of 2002.

It called upon the participants and the people to support media in their pursuit for independence and freedom and appealed to the heads of parties represented in the parliament to jointly scrutinise legal and administrative restrictions on media freedom and amend all existing laws that in any way hinder press freedom, right to know and freedom of expression.

Earlier, former PPP senator Farhatullah Babar said whatever access to information had been allowed under the law it had been taken away under the Official Secrets Act 1923, which overrode the freedom of information law. He said the act was outmoded and hampered access to information.