Ordinance for digital media prepared 

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has prepared a draft of an ordinance for digital media, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Monday.

According to the report, the government had prepared the draft titled “Pakistan Media Development Authority Ordinance” and would be introduced soon.

The report said after imposing the ordinance, every web channel and vlogger would bound to get a licence from the authority to continue its activity in the country.

The report further said that the violators would be punished with imprisonment of three years and a fine of Rs25 million.

As per the report, media tribunals would also be constituted to hear the appeals of the digital media across the country.

The report also said that the appeals against the decisions of the media-tribunals would not be entertained but only the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

After imposing the ordinance, the Newspapers Condition of Service Act, PEMRA Ordinance, Press Council Ordinance, Press, Newspapers, News Agencies, and Books Registration Ordinance and Motion Pictures Ordinance would be abolished.

As per draft of the ordinance, it would be mandatory for the online newspapers, online news channels, web channels, and video bloggers to get the license.

The report said the digital media owners would pay a license fee, fixed fee, fee for renewal of the license, and a tax on their total earning from the licensed medium.

According to the draft of the ordinance, on repetition of the same crime, imprisonment and the fine would be increased up to five years detention.

The people who would try to run the digital media without a government license would be detained for five years with a fine of Rs25 million and all their equipment would be seized.

Reacting over the draft of the ordinance, the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors held a virtual meeting and termed it an effort to pressurized and control media.