Pakistan Views

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman on Friday said that government has imposed no restriction on any private television channel. According to reports of various television channels the Minister said rather the central and provincial governments are facilitating the media persons in coverage of long march show. She said that no time limit has been fixed for the end of long march sit in and the government will make no intervention whatsoever in this regard. The Minister said that government on its part has made stringent security arrangements and if any untoward incident takes place during the rally, the responsibility will be on the organizers.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman on Saturday said PPP does not believe in the politics of confrontation. The mandate of February 18 was clear as PPP and coalition partners were mandated to ensure the supremacy of the constitution and the parliament. There are no two opinions on it and the government has no confusion on it, she added. Commenting on the President’s interaction with mediamen, talking to a private TV she said that confrontational approach was not suitable for the country.Any attempt to fuel confrontation and confusion should be better disregarded, she maintained. PPP has already rejected such attempts. Constitution has clearly said that the parliament is supreme and Prime Minister would be the chief executive of the country. Mismanagement was galore during the era of the previous government, she added.

Sherry said the last government had plunged the country into a variety of crises including economic, political, power crisis etc. and pushed the country into a state of anarchy.

These multiple crises still haunt the country as it has been made hollow from all aspects.

Coalition government needs at least one year to clear the debris of previous government’s mismanagement. Emergency measures are being taken to put the country on right track and also give some relief to poor segment of the society.

She said it was time to come forward and the president should keep in mind ground realities and indeed now a days the ground situation is that democratic forces have come back in the country.

PPP rendered unmatched sacrifices for the restoration of democracy and has always avoided politics of confrontation.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman has strongly condemned the murder of Mohammad Ibrahim, reporter of a private television channel and announced a compensation of Rs. 500,000 for the grieved family. The minister had already ordered an immediate inquiry after the tragic incident took place on Thursday. The Ministry of Interior on Friday submitted an initial report to the Minister for Information, which revealed that Mohammad Ibrahim was on his way back after interviewing Moulvi Umar, spokesman of Taliban Tehrik Pakistan (TTP).He was gunned down by unknown assailants near village Inayat Killay in Bajaour Agency. The report says that it seems a target killing and the handiwork of some group inimical to TTP. The miscreants fled with the journalist’s camera and motorcycle. The minister, after receiving the initial reports, has ordered that inquiry be completed within next 48 hours.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman has said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government wants to take along all allied parties. She said the government would not fill the portfolios vacated by the PML-N Ministers except the Minister for Finance. “Finance is an important portfolio to run daily national business, therefore the government would assign it to any suitable person. Otherwise we intended not to include our members in the cabinet,” Sherry told media persons at the Parliament House.
She also stated that PPP would not field its candidates against Mian Nawaz Sharif and other PML (N) leaders during the upcoming by-polls as her party is committed to maintain the reconciliation culture. In reply to a question, Sherry said, PPP still stands by its pledge to restore pre-November 3, 2007 judiciary under framework of Bhurban Accord, however, she said, the matter should not be hyped to crisis through deadlines.

Minister for Information Sherry Rehman on Monday said that all laws discriminatory to free press will be removed in consultation with media representatives and the stake holders.Speaking in the Senate on a motion to discuss the performance of Pemra, she said the coalition government has been in power for only five weeks and its first legislative act has been the introduction of repealing the Pemra amendments.”We will dismantle all the laws which put bar on media,” Sherry said.She said the legislation process will be carried out in consultation with all the stakeholders.She warned the Pemra not to do things which it has been doing in the past like shutting down channels and cable operators.”I do not want to hear that any cables or channels were shut down by Pemra on its behalf or by any actor of the state. This is not the policy of PPP (government) and will not be in the future either,” she said. She said the practices in the past by Pemra were ‘black practices’ and must be condemned.She said regulatory bodies like Pemra must have representatives of working media as well as broadcasters association on its board.The interests of the working media, Sherry added, were ignored in the past which must be changed as it is PPP government now which is committed to workers rights.She regretted that in the garb of regulations, curbs have been put on media to serve vested interests.Regulations, she added, were essential but the role of the ministry should be that of a facilitator and not a regulator.She also announced that freedom of expression and access to information bill will soon be introduced in the parliament.She urged the media to form its own code of conduct for which the ministry will facilitate with inputs from stakeholders.Sherry said the last regime brought about tough defamation laws which have been met with strong criticism from media because of penalties for small offenses.She stressed the need for reconciliation for which political maturity was very essential. She said that democracy, for which the PPP gave many sacrifices, remains incomplete without a free media.”The preservation of democratic traditions is possible through an independent media. Without an independent media no democratic process is complete,” she said.She said Benazir gave her life for the spirit of reconciliation and wanted a peaceful transition towards democratic traditions.
Sherry said PPP has greatly suffered from attacks on democracy directly affecting its workers and supporters.She said legislation was the proper way of governance and to rule through issuance of ordinances does not suit any government.Referring to press and publication registration ordinance, she said the government will soon remove it so that there can be no bar on the publication of a newspaper.

Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said here on Friday that her country was committed to taking forward the ongoing dialogue process with India “as peace is a prerequisite” for sustainable development and stability in the region. She was talking to reporters after attending the last rituals of prominent peace campaigner, Nirmala Deshpande, who passed away on Thursday. Sherry said that Nirmala’s death was a great loss not only for India but also for Pakistan as she had played a crucial role in consolidating and promoting the dialogue process between the two countries.She said that Nirmala, popularly known as ‘Deedi’ (elder sister), had greatly contributed, with the help of MPs from Pakistan, towards establishment of Pak-India Parliamentary Forum, the first in the region to make the peace process sustainable and irreversible.The Minister remarked that such persons in the two countries “never die”, and Deshpande’s life-long noble struggle for love, affection and peace among various cultures, faiths and especially across the border, would always remind the generations to come about these accomplishments. She said that the death of Deshpande had created a huge gap, difficult to be filled in the years to come.She, however, expressed the resolve that the government and parliamentarians of Pakistan would encourage peace activities on both sides to continue carrying forward this noble mission to facilitate and promote people to people contact between the two nations. Sherry said she, along with Qamar Zaman Kaira, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, and PPP leader Manzoor Ahmed, especially came to the Indian capital to represent the government and the people of Pakistan at the last rites of Nirmala Deshpande to pay homage.She also met several Indian leaders and MPs, including Secretary General Congress Rahul Gandhi, and conveyed condolences on behalf of Pakistan government on the demise of the peace activist. Rahul specially thanked the government of Pakistan for sending a delegation to share the grief.

The deposed judges would be restored on pre-November 3 positions through an act of parliament, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday.
Talking to media at parliament house, the minister said those who are talking of count down for restoration of judges should not be part of any bid to destabilise the country.”Pakistan Peoples Party is a democratic party and committed to Murree Declaration; our coalition with PML-N will also continue,” Sherry Rehman maintained.”PPP believes in reconciliation and is committed to fulfil all the promises made with nation,” she added.In reply to a question, Sherry said their party would counter reverse counting against them,” however, it does not mean to threaten anyone,” she clarified.Replying to another query, she said PPP has not yet considered to resign from Punjab cabinet in response to PML-N’s possible resigning from federal cabinet.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman, has said that ‘we believe in negotiations with all the parties and we will continue the process of dialogue with all’.She said this remarking the latest updates in talks between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) while talking to media men at Karachi Airport on Saturday on arrival here from Islamabad.Minister said that we want a government of reconciliation and the city of Karachi, province of Sindh and the country needs a new beginning.She pointed out that Benazir Bhutto has sacrificed her life for the politics of reconciliation and we want that there should not be politics of conflict or polarization.Sherry Rehman said that in a peaceful environment, the people can be extended more and more relief.She pointed out that the PPP government has initiated a process of reconciliation which requires spirit of tolerance and that of forget and forgive.”We have to give each other a chance”, Sherry Rehman remarked and said that we will have to carry the country forward.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Incharge Minister for Health Sherry Rehman on Saturday directed to review the existing health policy and make it pro-poor.”It was shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s desire to restructure the health and education system and deliver necessary social services to the people at their doorstep,” she said while chairing a meeting of health ministry officials here on Saturday.She said that pro-poor health policy was essential to ensure health coverage both in rural and urban areas.The Minister stressed on improving the monitoring and evaluation system for ensuring better results and help address the health problems of people.Appreciating the performance of the Lady Health Workers programme, Sherry termed it the most cost effective primary healthcare system. She said it was Benazir who started this community based system which has now become a model for other countries.Sherry Rehman desired to keep a balance in the preventive and curative health services. Commenting on a presentation given to her by Secretary Health Khushnood Akhtar Lashari, the minister said that with growing population, the health planners should be mindful of the increasing trend in non-communicable diseases.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson called on Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman, here on Friday. During the meeting, they discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and US.The Minister apprised the ambassador about the vision of the new government for the freedom of media and welfare of the journalists in the country. “Women empowerment, press freedom and protection of minorities’ rights in the country are the top priorities of the government as envisioned by late Benazir Bhutto”, she said.Patterson said that the US wanted to build long-term and multi-faceted relations with Pakistan. She emphasised the need for expanded cooperation between the two countries, particularly in economic sector. Patterson appreciated the new government’s efforts to deregulate the media and to increase public access to information.