BY: Hurish Shah :
ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting met at the PTV Headquarters in Islamabad under the acting chairmanship of Senator Sarmad Ali to discuss a wide range of issues, including the alleged misrepresentation of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah’s teachings in the film Buleha, implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), journalists’ housing schemes, the government advertisement quota for regional newspapers, and the grievances of Radio Pakistan pensioners.
The meeting was attended by Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Ashfaq Ahmed Khalil, Principal Information Officer (PIO) Raheela Adil, Senators Abdul Shakoor, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Pervez Rashid, and Jan Muhammad, along with senior officials of the relevant departments.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) briefed the Committee on social media statistics and Meta’s removal of objectionable content, clarifying that the figures previously shared were based on Meta’s publicly available data. The Committee accepted the clarification and emphasized the importance of responsible reporting based on verified facts.
The Committee also reviewed the transfer of PECA cases from provincial authorities to NCCIA. Officials informed members 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 and implement the recommendations of the Senate Sub-Committee.
Members also discussed a notice issued to a newspaper columnist over alleged controversial remarks about the bureaucracy. NCCIA clarified that the notice was issued only to seek the columnist’s version following complaints and that no FIR had been registered under PECA. Senator Pervez Rashid stressed that the columnist should be given an opportunity to respond. The Committee unanimously directed NCCIA to refer the complaint to the Press Council of Pakistan, the appropriate forum to examine the published column.
During deliberations on the film Buleha, the Committee observed that the movie distorted the peaceful teachings of Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah by associating them with violence. Members questioned the basis on which the Central Board of Film Censors approved the film and called on the Federal Government to introduce a transparent and merit-based mechanism for the appointment of Censor Board members.
Following detailed discussion, the Committee recommended that the producers rename the film and remove the objectionable dialogue in which the lead character compares himself to Baba Bulleh Shah. Failing compliance, the Committee recommended blocking the film’s release and considering its removal from YouTube.
The Committee also expressed concern over delays in the allotment of plots and flats for journalists and media workers. Senator Sarmad Ali directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to notify a committee comprising journalists’ representatives within one week to review the matter and revisit the existing policy within one month. The Committee further recommended increasing the quota for journalists and media workers in future housing schemes and introducing a dedicated housing finance facility.
The Press Information Department (PID) briefed the Committee on the 25 percent government advertisement quota for regional newspapers. The Committee directed PID to ensure strict implementation of the policy, particularly for regional and language newspapers in Sindh and Balochistan.
On the issue of Radio Pakistan pensioners, officials informed the Committee that 353 commutation cases remain pending. Senator Sarmad Ali directed that these grievances also be placed before the Prime Minister’s committee constituted to resolve the outstanding issues of Radio Pakistan, PTV, and APP, and called for an early resolution.
