نوٹیفیکیشن
3rd March 2016 | PAS/Legis-G-15/2016/3856Resolution
To,
1. The Secretary to Government of Pakistan,
Ministry of Information,
ISLAMABAD.
2. The Chairman,
Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA),
Government of Pakistan,
ISLAMABAD.
3. The Chief Secretary to Government of Sindh,
KARACHI.
4. The Secretary to Government of Sindh,
Information Department,
KARACHI.
Subject: RESOLUTION.
I am to state that the Provincial Assembly of Sindh in its sitting held on Friday, the 26th February, 2016 has passed the following Resolution moved by Mr. Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Senior Minister for Education & Literacy and Parliamentary Affairs, Sindh, Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, MPA/ Leader of Opposition, Provincial Assembly of Sindh and Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari, MPA:-
“The House expresses grave concern over the way Pakistan’s emerging BOL Media Group-having the biggest infrastructure facilities in the Country-has been forcibly shut by the Federal Government and its various arms through a series of illegal and controversial measures.
The Sindh Assembly sees the stifling of the BOL Media Group as an attack on the freedom of expression and independent media, which stands in violation to Pakistan’s Constitution.
The Federal Government’s actions spare-headed by the Interior Ministry, the Information Ministry and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority-have rendered more than 2,200 media workers affiliated with the BOL Group jobless. Billions of rupees worth of investment also remains at stake due to the non-utilization of the BOL Media Group infrastructure.
The House takes a serious notice of the fact that the Interior Ministry, after giving security clearance to the BOL Media Group owners, cancelled it in a highly one-sided and vindictive manner. Such an action is unprecedented in the country’s history and is a blow to the investor’s confidence as well as to the media industry.
The House also condemns the way Information Ministry and PEMRA joined hands to keep BOL News transmission off the cables last year and then moved to suspend its license. Alongwith BOL News, they also suspended the license of BOL Entertainment.
The freezing of bank accounts of the BOL Media Group owners is also an illegal action. More than 2,200 media workers remains deprived of their salaries because of this illegal action.
The House, therefore, demands:
1) Inetrior Ministry should immediately grant security clearance to the BOL Media Group owners.
2) BOL News and BOL Entertainment should be allowed to start transmission and the decision to suspend their licenses be revoked. This will provide employment to all those who have been rendered unemployed or forced to sell their services at much lower than the market rates.
3) The House sees Federal Governtment’s actions as deliberately targeting Karachi-based businesses. In the past few months, other businesses have been targeted in a similar manner.These anti-business and anti-investment policies should be stopped.
4) The House demands investigations and actions against those who restored to illegal actions against the BOL Media Group, inflicting it billion of rupees losses.”.
(G.M.UMAR FAROOQ)
Secretary
Provincial Assembly of Sindh
No.PAS/Legis-G-15/2016/3856 Karachi, the 3rd March, 2016.
A Copy is forwarded for information to the:-
1. Mr. Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Senior Minister for Education & Literacy and Parliamentary Affairs, Sindh.
2. Khawaja Izhar ul Hassan, MPA/ Leader of Opposition, Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
3. Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari, MPA.
4. Principal Secretary to the President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad.
5. Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Islamabad.
6. Secretary, Senate of Pakistan, Islamabad.
7. Secretary, National Assembly of Pakistan, Islamabad.
8. Principal Secretary to Governor of Sindh, Karachi.
9. Principal Secretary to Chief Minister of Sindh, Karachi.
10. Secretary (Implementation) Services, General Administration & Coordination Department, Government of Sindh.
11. Secretary Provincial Assembly of Punjab/ Khyber Pakhtun Khwa/ Balochistan/ Legislative Assembly Azad Jamu & Kashmir/ Gilgit-Baltistan, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta , MuzaffarAbad, Gilgit-Baltistan.
12. Secretary to Government of Sindh, Law Department.
13. Inspector General of Police, Sindh, Karachi.
14. Registrar, Sindh High Court, Karachi.
15. Advocate General, Sindh, Karachi.
16. Director, Press Information, Government of Sindh, Karachi.
17. All Head of Branches, Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
18. Administrator (Automation), Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
19. Deputy Director (Research), Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
20. Staff Officer to Mr. Speaker, Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
21. Staff Officer to Madam Deputy Speaker, Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
22. P.S. to Ministers / Advisors/ Special Assistants to Chief Minister, Sindh.
23. P.S. to Leader of Opposition, Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
(M.H.M.HASSAN SHAH)
Additional Secretary
Provincial Assembly of Sindh