RAWALPINDI Sept 13 (APP): Minister of State for
Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb addressing the media workers convention at the Rawalpindi Press Club
Wednesday said that media had played a sterling role in defending
and strengthening democracy and fight against terrorism, like
the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies.
The minister said that the PML (N) government which
stood for safeguarding the rights of media could never think
of putting curbs on it adding that those who were responsible
for drafting the anti-media bill would be accorded due
punishment. Marriyum asserted that welfare and protection of the
media and journalists was part of the PML (N) manifesto. She said
that the media workers must get their rights in conformity with
the law.
The minister said that with a view to promote welfare of
the journalist and ensuring safe working environment for them
the federal government was contemplating to promulgate
Journalist Welfare and Protection Bill, which was in the last
stages of preparation. She said besides the working
journalists the government was also striving to protect the
rights of other media workers.
Marriyum said that for the capacity building
of the journalists, the government was also planning to
commence training courses for them at the Information Service
Academy. She said that wage board award was the right of the
media workers and journalists and the former information
minister Pervez Rasheed who had worked hard for it wanted to
announce it himself. She assured the media workers that they
would surely get their right in the near future.
The minister observed that the country could not
tread the path of development and progress unless there was respect for
the vote and mandate of the people. She said that Pakistan
had made appreciable economic progress during the last four years
and the entire world was endorsing and acknowledging the
turn-around in its economy. She said that the revival of
international games in Pakistan was a testimony to the fact that it
was a peaceful country.
Dilating on the role of the media in the society,
the minister said that it was their professional and ethical
obligation to ensure truthful reporting of the events
and government policies. She said that while criticizing the government
it was also incumbent upon the journalists to disseminate
information about the development work done by it as it was connected
to their fundamental rights.
The minister admired the unrivaled dedication and
commitment of the Punjab chief minister for the uplift of the province
and ensuring better services to the people.
She said that she was proud to see the development done
in Rawalpindi including the metro bus and a number of
over-head bridges, which had changed the architectural profile of
the city and she justifiably believed that the development
done in Rawalpindi was almost unrivaled in the entire province.
