Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzeb on Thursday stressed the need to change the culture of abusive language in the politics and to adopt patience and tolerance.

Talking to members of the Parliamentary Reporters’ Association at the Parliament House, she said that the government would accept the verdict of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the Panamagate case.

She said all segments of the society should work together to strengthen the supremacy of Parliament. “Media and the Parliament are part and parcel of the democratic process,” she said.

Maryam Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and she herself strongly believed in freedom of media. “It will be my endeavor to maintain constant contact with the media. The government does not entertain the idea of imposing any restrictions on freedom of media. Instead, it will do its utmost to facilitate the media in discharging its professional responsibilities,” she said.

The minister of state said there should be more awareness among journalists about the Code of Conduct issued by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA). “Criticism should not be for the sake of criticism, but for positive pursuits,” she said.

She said a comprehensive bill for safety and security of journalists had been prepared and media persons should suggest amendments or improvements in it.

The minister said that the government, in collaboration with representative bodies of media, would arrange training programmes at various levels to create necessary awareness among media persons about code of conduct and Sustainable Development Goals. She asked the information secretary to prepare a structure of the training programme in consultation with media representatives.

“Another priority of the government will be to ensure state of art facilities both for private and state media journalists. Press clubs should be revived at different levels,” she said.

To a question, she said former ministers, included Pervaiz Rasheed and Mushahidullah, had struggled hard to strengthen democracy. “Their efforts can not be disregard,” the minister said.

“I have taken this responsibility as a challenge and have to work hard,” she said.

Senior journalists Hafiz Tahir Khalil, Siddique Sajid and Behzad Saleemi extended their good wishes to Maryam Aurangzeb on assuming the office.