Newspaper owners torpedo government’s attempt to purify Press

LAHORE (Pakistan): The Pakistan government last week, in an attempt to clean the Press, notified that the authorities would not allow title/name of the publication with negative connotation. The “purification bid” was a part of wider and drastic changes in the rules governing the press and publication in this South Asian Islamic republic.

But this attempt was torpedoed by the newspaper owners as they rejected the amendments in the law, forcing the government to undo the modifications.

The title/name with negative connotation, like JHOOT (lie), BADMASH (Rogue), FRAUD, BAIMANI (dishonesty), LA DEEN (atheist, secular), etc. shall not be accepted for issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC). Similarly names/title in abbreviation like Mr., Sd., ABC etc. for newspapers shall not be accepted, the new law said.

The notification said the alphabets and words of the title/name particularly of those with more than one word shall be of same size and style. Any deviation shall be liable to cancellation of registration. A News Agency while submitting request for title shall make sure that the abbreviation of the title/name does not match with the abbreviation of any other News Agency.

The federal government notified the Press, Newspapers, News Agencies and Books Registration Rules 2009 binding media organizations to get a registration certificate after every three years otherwise their declarations would not remain valid.

The Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) while rejecting Print and Publications Amendment Ordinance for newspapers, magazines and news agencies declared it as an attack on freedom of expression.

Fearing a backlash, the government withdrew the amendments in the laws. A federal Information Ministry spokesman said the ordinance was promulgated in 2002 and the rules had been framed subsequently to implement its provisions.

Information Minister Sherry Rehman in a statement said no rules would be framed without consultation of relevant stakeholders like the CPNE, who would be meeting with her early this week. An Information Ministry spokesman quoted the minister as saying that the government “does not believe in putting any restrictions on print and electronic media”.

“The ministry is making endeavours to create a media-friendly atmosphere and all its steps are focused on creating a free and cordial environment,” he said.

Secretary General CPNE Kushnood Ali Khan when contacted Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman and briefed her about the ordinance and conveyed grievances of councils members to the minister.

Under the new rules, an individual publisher was entitled to a maximum three titles/names of publications. Any request by the same publisher for more than three publications would be allowed only after assessment of professional and financial competence of the applicant, and approval of the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Application for obtaining NOC and issuance of Registration/Renewal Certificates: The new rules say that the application for obtaining NOC for the title or name of the publication shall be submitted on the prescribed proforma along with the requisite documents and paid copy of five hundred rupees (US $7) as prescribed fee for NOC.

The application for issuance of Registration Certificate shall be submitted to the Press Registrar or its authorized officer on the prescribed proforma along with the required documents, paid copy of prescribed fee of five hundred rupees and shall also submit the most recent seven issues in case of a daily and one issue in case of weekly, monthly etc while applying its registration.

Registration/Renewal Certificate for Publications: The NOCs or Registration Certificates would be dispatched to the publisher/owner on given address directly with a copy to the concerned Press Information Department (PID) Regional Office of the government.

Validity of Registration Certificate: The validity of the Registration Certificate shall be for three years from the date of issuance. The renewal of the Registration Certificate shall be issued after assessment of the regularity standard and quality of the publication. (EOM)