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Express Tribune
03-08-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Support to media industry govt's top priority: Sharjeel
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon hosted a grand luncheon in honour of the journalists led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) at a local hotel. Photo Express Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon hosted a grand luncheon in honour of the journalists led by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) at a local hotel. Sharjeel said that the Sindh government's policy is founded on the principles of protecting journalists, ensuring their welfare, and upholding freedom of expression. Sharjeel, emphasising that support for the media industry is a priority of his government, stated that they have always strived to maintain a media-friendly approach and promote the growth of the media sector. He added that ensuring the full implementation of the minimum wage law in media houses is a top priority of the government. He added that travelling on a Pakistani passport is now a source of pride and confidence. Today, the global respect for our passport has increased, and the country is on the path to progress.
Business Recorder
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Bilawal lauds role of journalist community
KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has lauded the role of Pakistan's journalist community during the recent Pakistan-India conflict, describing them as a national asset. Addressing a ceremony at the Sindh Chief Minister's House marking the 75th anniversary of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), he commended the organisation's long and distinguished struggle for safeguarding freedom of expression and strengthening democracy during periods of authoritarian rule. He recalled a moment during the ARD-led struggle, saying: 'I remember the time when the then-dictator, in his final days in power, began imposing restrictions—even on television channels—and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto stood firmly with you (journalists), side by side.' While appreciating the role of Pakistani journalists during the recent Pakistan-India conflict, he said, 'I want to thank all of you for the way Pakistan's media and journalists countered India's false and disinformation-driven narrative on the global stage—it is truly commendable.' He added, 'I can proudly say that just as Pakistan's Air Force defeated India with a score of 6-0, our journalist community similarly outclassed the Indian media.' Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that prior to the war with India, there were restrictions on digital media, but the conflict made it clear that these platforms are, in fact, national assets. 'We are thankful that the government lifted those restrictions during the war, and to my knowledge, they have not been re-imposed since,' he said. He paid special tribute to Pakistan's Generation Z for their remarkable performance on the digital front during the war against India. Expressing hope, he said the federal government should take note of the journalist community's vital role and reconsider certain policies in recognition of their efforts. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari instructed Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon to continue arranging visits for journalists from other provinces to Sindh, so that accurate information regarding the development initiatives of the PPP's people-centric government could reach the wider public across the country. He pointed out that the Government of Sindh has introduced revolutionary measures in various public service sectors, including healthcare. He further highlighted that the project for the reconstruction of 2.1 million houses for the 2022 flood-affected population is the largest of its kind in the world. While speaking about Balochistan, he said that the province's issues and challenges are historical in nature and can only be resolved through substantial investment and dedicated efforts. He urged Prime Minister Mian Shehbaz Sharif to pay special attention and take concrete steps to accelerate the development process in Balochistan. He also called upon the journalist community to visit Balochistan and witness firsthand the challenges faced by the provincial government. Furthermore, he appreciated the Balochistan government's scholarship program for students under the leadership of Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugtti, and other dignitaries also addressed the ceremony. Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari presented traditional Sindhi caps and ajraks as gifts to the leadership of the journalist community. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Sindh govt striving to resolve issues facing journalists: Sharjeel
KARACHI: A delegation of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), and Sukkur Union of Journalists, led by renowned journalist and PFUJ Federal Executive Council Member Mazhar Abbas along with PFUJ Secretary Finance Lala Asad Pathan, called on Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon. Senior journalists including KUJ President Tahir Hussain Khan, Sardar Liaquat, Saleem Sehto, Javed Jatoi, and other KUJ office bearers were also present at the meeting. During the meeting, the delegation of journalists invited Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon to attend the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The three-day celebrations will be held at the historic Khaliq Dina Hall in Karachi. The delegation also informed the minister that the three-day meeting of the PFUJ Federal Executive Council will take place in Karachi from August 1 to August 3. A special session is scheduled for August 2 at Khaliq Dina Hall, the site where PFUJ was founded 75 years ago. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon assured the union representatives of his government's full commitment and support. On the occasion, he remarked that journalism and democracy are inseparable, and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh government has always taken significant steps to promote press freedom. He added that the Sindh government is making every possible effort to address the issues faced by journalists. 'The sacrifices of the journalist community for the cause of democracy are historic and unforgettable. The welfare of journalists remains a top priority for the Sindh government,' he said. On the occasion, Sharjeel Inam Memon also briefed the delegation on ongoing projects in the health, transport, energy, and housing sectors. He said that the benefits of the Sindh government's initiatives in these areas are reaching the people. During the meeting, the delegation of journalists appreciated the Sindh government's development projects, noting that the measures taken by the government are providing relief to the people. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
LHC questions PECA Act as journalists, politicians cry foul
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed authorities to submit by June 3 a detailed report of all First Information Reports (FIRs) registered under the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025 (PECA). Justice Farooq Haider issued the directive while hearing a series of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the newly enforced PECA Amendment Act. Petitioners, including Rana Azeem, Secretary General of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Malik Ahmad Bachar, Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, have argued that the amendments infringe upon fundamental rights and democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. The petitions name the Federation of Pakistan, the Ministry of Interior, the Government of Punjab, and the Home Department as respondents. The petitioners have requested the court to declare the amendments null and void, alleging they are politically motivated and intended to suppress journalists and curtail freedom of expression. They contend that the PECA Amendment Act, 2025passed by both houses of Parliament and signed into law by President Asif Ali Zardarirepresents a dramatic expansion of government control over digital expression. As per the petitions, vague language and severe penalties in the law have fostered an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship, especially among journalists.
Express Tribune
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PECA is a bland act, says Fazl
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the opposition party fired a broadside against the recently-enacted Prevention of Electronic Crimes Amendment Act (Peca), terming it a law to gag the media and usurping the people's fundamental right of freedom of expression. Addressing a seminar on 'Challenges Facing the Media in Pakistan', organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman termed PECA act a bland act. Fazl said that the government should not make a code of conduct for journalists, rather it should be prepared by the journalists themselves. He added that every dictator had violated the sanctity of the Constitution, democracy, and parliament. Speaking at the seminar, Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that fake people had been brought to parliament, who were only taking orders and not representing the people. He praised the efforts of Fazl in the passage of a balanced 26th Constitutional Amendment. He added that even if the current government withdrew the Peca Act, it won't be acceptable. He said that the movement against the government should not stop. The Peca Act, he said, was brought to eliminate fake news and asked what the remedy was when the government lied to the people. Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas said that one pillar of the legislature fell, when parliamentarians were picked up in the night. All the amendments that had been passed were not possible had the political parties were not hypocritical. "We will fight for the rights of the people and we will succeed. This parliament has lost its worth, the government has collapsed, and the last pillar, journalism, has also been attacked through PECA. They want this society to become deaf and dumb," he added.
