RAWALPINDI: Shah Azizur Rahman (Kushtia — UPP) moving a cut motion in the National Assembly, criticised the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for “very subtly” using its resources for the “propagation of a certain Political Party”. He said: “The Government Party very often have been talking about the code of ethics for the Press. I would say that they should have a code of ethics for themselves first because the way they have controlled the advertisements — they have practically yoked the entire Press to the chariot-wheels of their ambitions.

“They withhold advertisements until they (the Press) toe their line. So, by withholding the advertisements they have practically regimented the Press; and the process of regimentation of the Press is not yet complete — it might take some time more.”

“The standard of journalism since the formation of the National Press Trust has so much deteriorated that a study would disclose that the real working journalists who have earned considerable experience in the field of journalism, are bypassed and only Government servants and their stooges who have no knowledge or experience of journalism are brought in from Government jobs they have been holding — and some from oblivion — and made editors of newspapers and news agencies.”

Regimentation of the Press, the regimentation of intellect in Pakistan, he said, commenced with Martial Law Regulation No 24. The Regulation was promulgated thorough Martial Law, and this was designed to be a deterrent against the functioning of a free Press. “However, with the lifting of Martial Law, this Martial Law Regulation No 24 ceased to operate. Thereafter we have got the Press and Publications Ordinance of 1960, which was supposed to regulate the working of the Press in the light of the recommendations of the Press Commission of 1959. ...”

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2015

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