Islamabad, December 22, 2025: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Monday directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to review all laws and Acts under its administrative control to ensure their alignment with recent decisions of the Federal Cabinet. The Committee also instructed the Ministry to initiate the process for appointing heads of organizations at least 30 days before the completion of their tenure to avoid administrative gaps that could disrupt institutional functioning.
The meeting, held in Islamabad, was chaired by Mr. Pullain Baloch, MNA. Committee members were briefed that, in line with the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the Mustafa Impex case, the Federal Cabinet had ordered amendments to various laws to replace the term “Federal Government” with appropriate competent authorities, in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice. Accordingly, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting proposed amendments to key legislation, including the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Ordinance, 2002, the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973, and the Associated Press of Pakistan Ordinance, 2002. After detailed deliberations, the Committee unanimously approved the proposed Bills.
While reviewing compliance with its previous recommendations, the Committee reiterated the need for timely appointments of heads of organizations, stressing that prolonged vacancies negatively affect performance, decision-making, and service delivery. The Committee specifically directed the Ministry to ensure the appointment of a permanent head of Pakistan Television (PTV) and emphasized the need to transform the state broadcaster into a viable and self-sustaining organization.
Briefing the Committee, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar acknowledged that PTV had suffered in the past due to nepotism, abuse of authority, and corruption, adding that successive governments had contributed to the organization’s current challenges. He informed members about ongoing restructuring efforts, including the revamp of PTV English, strengthening of the digital media department, and the induction of new talent aimed at increasing viewership, credibility, and revenue generation.
The meeting was attended by Members of the National Assembly Nadeem Abbas, Kiran Imran Dar, Romina Khurshid Alam, Kiran Haider, Shaheen, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Sehar Kamran, and Rana Ansar, while some participants joined via Zoom. Senior officials, including the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and officers from departments under the Ministry were also present.
The Committee expressed hope that the approved legislative amendments and administrative reforms would strengthen governance, enhance transparency, and improve the overall performance of media-related institutions in line with constitutional and judicial directives.
