ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on Thursday directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to refer a complaint against a newspaper columnist, along with the complainant, to the Press Council of Pakistan, ruling that the council was the appropriate forum to examine the published content. The committee, which met at the Pakistan Television headquarters under the acting chairmanship of Senator Sarmad Ali, reiterated the government’s assurance that the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) would not be used against the websites and digital platforms of newspapers and television channels, as their content was already regulated by the Press Council of Pakistan and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority. NCCIA officials informed the committee that a notice had been issued to the columnist only to obtain his version following complaints submitted by the president of the Pakistan Administrative Service Officers Association over allegedly controversial remarks about the bureaucracy. Officials said no first information report had been registered under PECA and the columnist had not yet responded to the notice. The article had been removed from the newspaper’s e-paper but remained available on the columnist’s Facebook page. Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the columnist should respond to the notice so that the facts could be established. The committee observed that the dignity and sanctity of every individual must be respected before directing NCCIA to place the matter before the Press Council. The committee also reviewed the transfer of PECA-related cases from provincial authorities to NCCIA. It was informed that only nine cases from Sindh had so far been transferred, while the remaining cases were still under process. Senator Sarmad Ali directed that letters be sent to the relevant provincial authorities to expedite the transfer of pending cases. He also asked that the recommendations and report of the Senate subcommittee on information and broadcasting be forwarded for implementation. NCCIA also briefed the committee about social media statistics and the removal of objectionable content by Meta. The agency clarified that figures previously provided to the committee had been drawn from Meta’s publicly available data. The committee accepted the clarification and called for responsible reporting based on verified information. The committee separately raised objections to the film Buleha, alleging that it misrepresented the name and peaceful teachings of Sufi poet Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah by associating the lead character with violence and firearms. Members questioned the Central Board of Film Censors over its decision to approve the film. The board’s chairman said the film had also been cleared by the censor boards of Punjab and Sindh, but the committee rejected the explanation. The committee recommended that the producers change the film’s title and remove an objectionable dialogue in which the lead character compares himself with Baba Bulleh Shah. It said that failure to make the changes should result in the film being blocked from release and possibly removed from YouTube. Members also called upon the federal government to introduce a transparent and merit-based mechanism for appointing members of the censor board. The committee was also briefed by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority on the allotment of plots and flats to journalists and media workers. Officials said allotments under the media workers’ quota had been completed, while matters relating to the journalists’ quota remained unresolved. Expressing dissatisfaction over the delay, the committee decided to form a monitoring subcommittee to oversee the implementation of its recommendations. Senator Sarmad Ali directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to notify within one week a committee comprising representatives of journalists. The proposed body would review the issue and revisit the existing policy within one month. The committee also recommended increasing the quota for journalists and media workers in future housing schemes and proposed either a dedicated housing loan scheme or priority for journalists under existing federal housing finance programmes. The Press Information Department informed the committee that 25 percent of government advertisements were reserved for regional newspapers. Members, however, raised concerns over the non-implementation of the quota, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan. The acting chairman directed the PID to ensure strict implementation of the quota and include regional-language newspapers, acknowledging their role in disseminating information to local communities. The committee also discussed the grievances of Radio Pakistan pensioners and was informed that 353 commutation cases remained pending. Officials said Radio Pakistan continued to operate through federal grant-in-aid and that the prime minister had already constituted a committee to address outstanding matters concerning Radio Pakistan, PTV and the Associated Press of Pakistan. Senator Sarmad Ali directed that the pensioners’ grievances also be placed before the prime minister’s committee and called for their early resolution. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Newspaper columnist: Senate panel orders NCCIA to refer complaint to PCP
RELATED ARTICLES
