PEMRA should be directed to formulate a fair, transparent policy to issue licenses on a non-auction basis, without applying a commercial approach, for community-based electronic media.
PEMRA should be directed to revise its discriminatory exclusion of NGOs registered as social welfare associations, societies, trusts, not-for-profit joint-stock companies from being eligible applicants for community-based electronic media.
PEMRA should be directed not to disqualify applicants on the basis that they are the recipients of funding support from multi-lateral institutions such as United Nations Agencies, regional organizations such as European Union or friendly foreign countries.
Safeguards can be enforced to prevent community-based electronic media from being used to project content that is violated of the laws of Pakistan and PEMRA’s Regulations & Rules to prevent such media from being exploited for covert objectives or being misused by locally-based extremists or hate groups.
In fellow Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Turkey, Bangladesh and others, there are large numbers of community-based electronic media which meet the specific need of communities at the grass-roots level.
As stated elsewhere in this Report, the Economic Affairs Division of the Federal Government remains fully informed of all overseas aid to Pakistan and to organizations located in the country.
