The bill was introduced in the National Assembly NA on July by Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb . The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan as well as journalists bodies have expressed concerns that it could be misused and may allow powerful groups or individuals to stonewall journalists seeking both sides of a story .
The bill also authorises the Pemra to impose a fine of up to Rs million on a licensee who contravenes any of the provisions of this ordinance or the rules or regulations of the code of conduct or terms and conditions of the Authority . The preamble of the PEmra law has also been amended to ensure timely payment of salary to the electronic media employees working with the licensee of the authority .
The number of members in the authority was enhanced to from apart from its chairperson. The chairperson alone will not have the power to suspend the broadcast of any channel as under the amendment the powers to stop the airing of any satellite electronic media can be delegated to the chairman and two Pemras members .
It further says that during a regular programme a continuous break for advertising shall not exceed five minutes and the duration between two such successive commercial breaks shall not be less than minutes . It also says that the content of a television channel shall not vary and be altered on digital media or any other similar forum.
The bill further said that a continuous commercial break shall not exceeded five minutes. It also said that the duration of a regular broadcast shall not include the duration . The content of the advertisement shall not … shall not . The Bill also said to not exceed 5 minutes .
The Pemura shall not have a regular break for … a continuous … or the duration … shall be less . The law has been amended .
