The Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) is a controversial bill and it should be reviewed, Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi said Tuesday.

“I do not think that Prime Minister Imran Khan will approve such a controversial bill," he said while talking to a delegation of media representatives during a meeting.

He stressed that free media is vital for the development of Pakistan and the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders have to be persuaded that local and general elections are not far off.

The Punjab Assembly speaker expressed hope that the PM will take the criticism in a positive manner. 

“I always worked for the independence of media and prosperity of its workers. Independent media is important for the security and survival of Pakistan,” he stressed.

Parvez Elahi said that record licences of electronic media were issued during the tenure of the PML-Q and the then government accepted the criticism for bringing in betterment.

“I withdrew a controversial clause in a bill as it does not have an ego issue.” he recalled.

The media is the fourth pillar of the state and we fully believe in its independence,” he said. 

The representatives of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) were present during the meeting.