Advertisement against Fresh Milk: PEMRA Issues Warning to TV Channels over Campaign Against Fresh and Open Milk
PEMRA Warning issued a warning to Channels that relayed advertisement against fresh milk. The decision of the Council on the Campaign against fresh milk has been issued.
Advertisement against Fresh Milk: PEMRA Council of Complaints Issues Decision
In the context of the application submitted to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority by Islamabad Fresh Milk Association President Syed Muzaffar Ahmed Hashmi and Rawalpindi Fresh Milk Association President Malik Muhammad Waqar and letters written by columnist Dr. Muhammad Jassar Aftab to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, PEMRA and other institutions regarding the advertising campaign against fresh and open milk being run on various TV channels under the guise of promoting packaged milk in the name of public awareness, the decision of PEMRA’s Council of Complaints has been issued. According to the decision, a warning has been issued to the channels advertising against fresh milk.
Advertisement against Fresh Milk: Fresh Milk Associations Presented Their Case
The case was presented in PEMRA’s Council of Complaints by the Presidents of Fresh Milk Associations Syed Muzaffar Ahmed Hashmi and Malik Muhammad Waqar and their lawyer Ghazi Khan Advocate.
Dr. Muhammad Jassar Aftab assisted the council in writing after raising the matter with the higher authorities. The position presented in the council was that packaged milk must be promoted, but under the guise of this, propaganda against fresh milk and giving a false impression that it is harmful to health should be discouraged. The orders presented by the lawyer of Fresh Milk Associations regarding packaged milk of the Supreme Court of Pakistan are also included in the decision of the council.
Pakistan Broadcasters Association and Private Channel Presented Their Position
The representative of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association and a private channel were also heard in the Council of Complaints. According to the decision, the lawyer and representative of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association said that the said material was not presented in the application and its time and date were not mentioned. It was further said that the material presented was played on a private channel as a public service message and it was not paid content.
The representative of the private channel was of the view that his organization is very reliable and the allegation that propaganda was made against fresh milk by promoting packaged milk is false. The said content was not broadcast on a malicious basis with the aim of defaming fresh milk or the people selling it. The aim of this content was to create awareness about the use of clean and safe milk.
He said that our advertiser also shared scientific material with us, which included a survey by the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, according to which 98 percent of people out of 250 were not satisfied with raw milk. The decision also referred to the law on minimum pasteurization.
The private channel further said that this advertisement was stopped in March 2022, while other channels have also broadcast the said content. The private TV channel said that the request should be withdrawn that the series of broadcasting the said content has been stopped by us. It was further assured that their organization will follow the laws in this regard and such content against fresh milk will not be broadcast in the future.
Advertisement against Fresh Milk: Council Highlights Importance of Hygienic Milk
The council emphasized the use of fresh and hygienic milk in the daily diet, saying that Pakistan is already suffering from malnutrition. The decision states that adulterated and unhygienic milk, as well as tea whiteners and formula milk made from chemicals, are also harmful to health. According to the Supreme Court’s decision, milk made from chemicals cannot be called milk.
The decision states that it is the need of the hour that the relevant institutions should realize that milk made from chemicals should not be called milk. If a standard is made in this regard, then PEMRA will ensure that permission is taken from the relevant health ministry before advertising related to milk. It has further been said that the relevant institutions should ensure that the quality of both fresh milk and packaged milk is ensured.
Council Members Express Their Views
The council said that there are problems in fresh milk as well as in packaged milk. Council member Mazhar Barlas said that how can anyone prove that fresh milk is harmful to health while packaged milk is good for health. He said that thirty years ago, breast milk was discouraged, but now it is encouraged.
Batul Zain said that there is no such example in the world where packaged milk is promoted by devaluing fresh milk through advertisements.
Advertisement against Fresh Milk: PEMRA Warns TV Channels
The council has unanimously decided that advertisements against fresh milk should be discouraged. The content should be changed in such a way that it encourages fresh milk while discouraging adulterated milk. The channels that aired the said content against fresh milk have been warned not to air such content in the future.
Background of Case of Advertisement against Fresh Milk
It should be noted that earlier, an advertising campaign has been run on various channels in the name of public service message by the Pakistan Medical Association and various anchors, in which regard Syed Muzaffar Ahmed Hashmi and his colleagues filed an application with PEMRA.
Columnist Dr. Muhammad Jassar Aftab also wrote letters to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, relevant federal and provincial ministers and secretaries and various institutions. Instructions were also issued to PEMRA in response to a letter written to President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi, after which this campaign was stopped at first glance. After the resumption of the said campaign, the matter was formally heard in the PEMRA Council of Complaints and as per the decision, a warning has been issued to the channels.
Dairy Farmers Welcome PEMRA Decision on Advertisement against Fresh Milk
The Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association Pakistan also raised its voice every time regarding the campaign against fresh milk, while the issue was raised by the society’s president Shakir Umar Gujjar in press conferences as well as on various media forums and social media. Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association Shakir Umar Gujjar, President of the Pakistan Federation of Electronic Communications, welcomed this decision by PEMRA.
کھلے دودھ کے خلاف منظم مہم درست اقدام نہیں (ڈاکٹر جاسر آفتاب)۔ روزنامہ نئی بات
کھلے دودھ خلاف کے چلنے والی مہم کے پس پردہ عناصر کو بے نقاب کیا جائے، وزیر اعظم کے نام خط
اہم ترین شخصیات کو خطوط ارسال،کھلے دودھ کے خلاف جاری اشتہاری مہم کا نوٹس لیا جائے
کھلے دودھ کے خلاف اشتہاری مہم کے حوالے سے نیشنل پریس کلب اسلام آباد میں پریس کانفرنس
چیئرمین پیمرا سے ملاقات، پیکجد دودھ پروموشن کا نوٹس لینے کی درخواست
پیکجڈ دودھ پروموشن ۔۔ وزیراعظم، چیئرمین پیمرا، وفاقی و صوبائی وزرا اور دیگر اہم شخصیات کے نام خطوط
کھلے دودھ کے خلاف اشتہاری مہم، خصوصی رپورٹ روزنامہ آفتاب
تازہ دودھ کے خلاف عوامی آگاہی کے نام پر میڈیا پر جاری مہم، وزیر اعظم پاکستان کے نام خط
کھلے دودھ کے خلاف کمپین، مرکزی صدر پاکستان میڈیکل ایسوسی ایشن کے نام خط
کھلے دودھ کے خلاف اشتہاری مہم کا حصہ بننے پر نظر ثانی کی جائے، اینکر اقرار الحسن کے نام خط
پیکجڈ دودھ پروموشن کی مناسبت سے چیف ایگزیکٹو اے ۔آر۔وائے سلمان اقبال کے نام خط
