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PMDA disbanded, newly elected Information Minster Marriyum Aurangzeb announces

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  • Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announces disbanding Digital Media Wing.
  • Zero tolerance for baselss criticism of institutions, journalists, she says.
  • Bilawal to take oath soon; PM Shehbaz to address nation in a day or two, she adds.

ISLAMABAD: Newly elected Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb Tuesday announced disbanding the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) set up during the PTI government’s tenure.

“An attempt was being made to gag an already muzzled media. But now, whatever shape and form PMDA is working in, we have announced to disband it,” the minister — who took oath hours earlier — told journalists.

Aurangzeb said the coalition government would not allow the imposition of curbs on freedom of expression in the country as she termed the PMDA a “black law”.

She mentioned that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had termed the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) Amendment Ordinance “unconstitutional” due to the efforts of journalists and PML-N as well.

“So now, we will review this PECA law and take all stakeholders on board in this regard. We will also identify the gaps which are there and were used to muzzle the media,” Aurangzeb added.


Important announcements

  • Disbanding of Pakistan Media Development Authority
  • Disbanding of Digital Media Wing
  • Works to soon be done on journalists’ protection bill
  • Zero tolerance for baseless criticism of institutions, journalists
  • More accessibility of information to journalists

The information minister said for the last four years, the Pakistani society experienced suffocation, may it be in the form of abusive language, targeting of politicians, black laws, or ordinances.

“I think we should now move towards a new beginning as a coalition government has been formed that represents entire Pakistan,” the information minister said.

‘Zero tolerance’

In response to a question, Aurangzeb said the government has gathered data on the bot Twitter accounts that were being operated to malign the institutions and run trends against them.

“This does not come under freedom of expression as these campaigns are being run through software. There is zero tolerance on such trends and campaigns,” the information minister said.

Aurangzeb warned the PTI that it could not protest outside journalists’ homes just because their government failed to deliver. “There will be zero tolerance regarding this and we have instructed the inspector general of Islamabad to make sure that culprits are published.”

No revenge; president should resign

Aurangzeb noted that the government would not take revenge on its political opponents, but whosoever has done something illegal while in office, action will be taken against them.

With regards to President Arif Alvi refusing to administer the oath to the federal cabinet and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Aurangzeb said the president should be aware of the fact that he is not a member of the PTI, but has a constitutional role.

“…if he cannot fulfil the oath he took while becoming president, then the best option for him is to resign,” the information minister told Alvi, who refused to administer oaths to the coalition government’s members, and in his absence, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani administered the oaths.

Bilawal to take oath; Shebaz to address nation

Aurangzeb also said confidently that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was going to London, but once he comes back, he would take his oath as the federal minister.

PML-N leader Khawaja Asif had confirmed a day earlier that Bilawal would become the next foreign minister, but the PPP chairman did not attend today’s oath-taking ceremony.

Apart from Bilawal, nine other federal and state ministers from PPP took oath today, including Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Abdul Qadir Patel, Shazia Marri, Syed Murtaza Mahmud, Sajid Hussain Turi, Ehsan ur Rehman Mazari, and Abid Hussain Bhayo.

The newly elected information minister added that the prime minister would also address the nation in a day or two and would announce the government’s long and term goals.

Accountability crucial for govt

At the outset of her first press briefing after becoming the information ministry, Aurangzeb said during the previous government’s tenure, Pakistan’s media industry went through a dark phase, facing a financial crisis, the firing of journalists, muzzling of freedom of expression, censorship, and other problems that the journalists faced.

The journalists were shot and abducted during PTI’s tenure, she said. “…Absar AlamMatiullah Jan, Hamid Mir, and Asad Toor all faced troubles in the last four years, and I stand in solidarity with them,” the newly elected federal minister said.

She noted that accountability by the media was crucial for the government as it helps the rulers rectify themselves and serve the people better.

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Weather update: Lahore and other Punjabi cities are expected to have rain.

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According to the Met Department, Islamabad and the surrounding areas will get partly overcast weather with a risk of rain.

There will be a brief break from the dry weather in some places due to light rain, a representative said.

Parts of Punjab, however, are probably going to continue to have fog and pollution. Heavy haze and fog are predicted in Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Multan, and Rahim Yar Khan, while major towns impacted include Lahore, Kasur, Okara, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Narowal, and Gujranwala.

Because visibility may be poor in some places, residents and travelers have been warned to exercise caution.

The prognosis also suggests that places like Lahore, Attock, Murree, and Rawalpindi may get overnight rain. Additionally, northern regions including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Peshawar, and Kohat are predicted to see rainfall.

With no notable change anticipated in the upcoming days, Sindh and Balochistan, on the other hand, are likely to continue to see hot and dry weather.

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At GHQ, Pakistani and Australian army chiefs spoke about their mutual collaboration.

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Gen. Asim Munir, the COAS of Pakistan, and Lt. Gen. Simon Stuart, the COA of the Australian Army, met today at GHQ.

Issues of shared interest, especially the changing regional and international security landscape, were the main focus of the high-level discussion.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reports that both military commanders spoke about a number of strategic issues, with a focus on improved defense and security bilateral ties between the two countries.

Given Pakistan’s crucial role in maintaining regional security, the Australian army chief acknowledged the country’s continued counterterrorism efforts and extended gratitude.

General Asim Munir, meanwhile, emphasized how crucial strong bilateral collaboration is.

According to him, Pakistan’s military is still essential in the fight against terrorism both at home and abroad.

Wider regional security dynamics were also discussed, and both generals reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening defense and security cooperation in order to maintain peace in the region and around the world.

They understood that tackling common issues required consistent collaboration.

The senior Pakistani military leaders welcomed Lieutenant General Simon Stuart to GHQ with open arms. The military forces of the Pakistan Army presented him with a guard of honor.

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Business

Pakistan’s gold prices are declining.

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Ten grams of 24 carat gold also had a price decrease of Rs. 1,115, from Rs. 239,026 to Rs. 237,911, while ten kilos of 22 carat gold saw a rise in price from Rs. 219,107 to Rs. 218.085.

The cost of ten grams of silver and one tola of silver stayed at Rs. 2,829.21 and Rs. 3,300, respectively.

As stated by the Association, the price of gold fell $13 to $2,670 on the global market.

On Monday, November 11, 24-karat gold prices fell to 3,771 Saudi Riyals (SAR) per tola in Saudi Arabia.

The price of 24-kar gold is SAR 10,067 per ounce, while 10 grams of the metal are being sold for SAR 3,237 in the kingdom, according to forex.pk.

Note: Since the prices were updated at 10:15 am on November 11, 2024, there may be some discrepancies in this post due to the dynamic nature of the gold market globally, especially in Saudi Arabia.

As the markets anticipate the Federal Reserve to take a cautious stance under U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s administration, gold prices fell for a second session on Monday due to a stronger dollar and heightened risk appetite.

As of 09:27 GMT, spot gold was down 0.6% to $2,666.48 an ounce. The price of US gold futures dropped 0.8% to $2,673.20.

“A stronger U.S. dollar, rising Treasury yields, and increased risk appetite in financial markets are the main reasons why gold prices have declined — a trend that has gained momentum since Donald Trump’s victory in last week’s presidential election,” said Ricardo Evangelista, senior analyst at ActivTrades.

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