Islamabad; December 8, 2016: Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage has directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority to provide requisite information to Secretary, National Assembly who was a complainant on behalf of Speaker, National Assembly in a complaint lodged with PEMRA against Mr. Rauf Kalasra for casting allegations on him in a program on Channel 92 News. The Committee further directed PEMRA to expedite the hearing of the complaint through its Council of Complaints for an early decision. The Committee met under the Chairmanship of Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, MNA in Parliament House this afternoon.

The Committee after hearing the points of view of Secretary, National Assembly and Mr. Rauf Kalasra, directed Chairman, PEMRA to provide the attested copies of the additional documents pertaining to the matter to the complainant for submitting rejoinder on the reply received from the respondent channel. The Chairman PEMRA assured the Committee that the required documents would be provided and the matter would be referred to the Council of Complaints, Karachi region to hear the complaint as the tenure of Council of Complaints, Islamabad region had expired and was in process of reconstitution.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, MNAs, Mr. Muhammad Tallal Chaudry, Ch. Muhammad Tufail Ms. Leila Khan, Mr. Imran Zafar Leghari, Mr. Murad Saeed, Dr. Muhammad Azhar Khan Jadoon, Malik Muhammad Aamir Dogar, Ms. Naeema Kishwer Khan, Secretary, M/o Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Chairman PEMRA and other senior officers of the concerned departments.