Govt-Media relationship at its worst: PFUJ

ISLAMABAD-UNS : Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, PFUJ has termed the much controversial PECA law as the worst Martial Law for the media in Pakistan, which has seriously threatened not only freedom of the Press, freedom of expressions, people’s right to know but also democracy as well. Without freedom of the Press there is no concept of democracy. Thus, if the present government believes in Parliamentary form it must withdraw anti-people’s laws like PECA.
PFUJ at the end of its three-days Biannual Delegates Meeting, BDM, which is the supreme forum of the union held in Islamabad from Feb 21st to 23rd passed number of resolutions including government-Press relationship in the presence of PECA-2025, safety and protection of journalists, massive retrenchment of hundreds of media workers and the government move to stop government advertisements of daily DAWN, because of its professional and critical approach in reporting and editorials.
In a resolution on PECA, PFUJ demands immediate withdrawal of the controversial law which it believes was passed in haste by the present coalition government led by PML (N) and declared it as Martial Law by the media.
PFUJ resolved that it would take up all these issues in a meeting of the Joint Action Committee of Media stakeholders to draw a line of action. It intends to involve other sections of the society including Bar Associations.
It is a matter of concern that the controversial PECA Law has been adopted by the successive civilian governments since 2016 that includes PML (N) two governments beside PTI. The resolution rejected the government claim that it was brought only to curb the menace of ‘fake-news’ and disinformation whereas the fact remains that in the last eight years this law only targeted critical and dissenting voices. The worst part is that PECA is the continuation of black laws like Press and Publication Ordinance, 1963 and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, PEMRA, 2001.
PFUJ is of the view that democracy in the country cannot flourish without freedom of expression and freedom of the media, whether print, electronic or the digital platform. As far as the regulations are concerned for check and balance it can’t be one way traffic and for any such regulations a consensus is needed between government and the media. The way the present government and the Parliament had passed the PECA law clearly exposed the ruler’s intentions to suppress the dissenting voice.
PFUJ blamed the government for keeping the draft of PECA-2025 secret and despite repeated demands from PFUJ and Joint Action Committee of media stakeholders which were ready to discuss and reached on a consensus draft. Therefore, PFUJ rejected the government claim that it has shared the draft.
PFUJ demands that the government to withdraw this Act, and media stakeholders or Joint Action Committee’s doors are still open for any common draft.
As far as the content of the draft is concerned and the PECA Act, 2025 PFUJ believes that any law related to either defamation or in the name of curbing fake news or disinformation can’t be used as a criminal offence under any International norms. The use of PECA as a criminal Act, could also lead to fresh debate not only in Pakistan but also abroad in regard to Press Freedom.
PFUJ also linked government-media relationships with the protection and safety of journalists. In this area also the government has miserably failed. Journalists have not only been killed in record numbers last year but also been booked under Anti-Terrorism Act, Blasphemy law but also in drug cases, the classic example is that of the case against Matiullah Jan in Islamabad, just because of his criticism of the government.
PFUJ has always advocated professionalism in the media and reporting, comments based on objectivity and even in the past it has proposed high powered and Independent Media Complaints Commission. Even during the present controversies over PECA, PFUJ and other media stakeholders asked the government to share the draft but it seems that some ‘hidden hands’ prevented the government from sharing such a draft and passed the law, which is the media’s Martial Law and unacceptable.
Through another resolution PFUJ expressed its deep concern over the failures of the government to adopt measures to ensure safety and protection of journalists. In the last one years since 2024, 10 journalists had been killed but police failed in arresting the assailants, the latest in the list is the journalist killed in Wana. Jan Mohammad Mehr’s case is a classic example in which the mastermind managed to escape the arrest though police knew exactly where he was hiding.
PFUJ also condemned the so called drug case registered against journalist and anchor Matiullah Jan in particular in Islamabad. Such tactics were simply to stop dissenting voices. PFUJ also condemned Balochistan government move to lock Quetta Press Club and barred the club for granting permission for its program with government NOC. It lauded the efforts of both RIUJ, PFUJ and BUJ for taking up the issue with the authorities.
In another resolution PFUJ demanded from the Media Houses to implement Wage Award and also urged the government to constitute 9th Wage Board with immediate effect. It expressed its deep concern over the prevailing conditions in the media particularly print and electronic media over issues like delay in the salaries, large scale retrenchment, closure of newspapers and tv channels, the worst victims are the media workers.