PEMRA

Every country has its own set of rules and regulations for the media on how to operate. Pakistan also has a regulatory body by the name of PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) that has developed to control the media and its content.

Before the discussion starts, I would state that after reading the PEMRA Ordinance, I (as a lay man) am under the impression that the laws are complete enough for the authority to maintain discipline in the media industry. In my opinion, the problem lies not in the law itself but in the implementation by the authority. Rules are made by PEMRA but are not being implemented or I should say actions are not being taken against the media for not following the rules laid down. It is a fault on the part of the authority and lack of strict actions that leads to the improper implementation of the law.

Another reason of lack of media control and shortcoming is the lack of responsibility of media owners. It is their duty to ensure that their station shows content that is in line with the rules laid down by the authority.

It would be unfair to blame any one entity. Therefore, as mentioned, media owners as well as the regulatory authority should start acting responsibly towards an improved and foolproof media.

Regards,

Anas Kamdar