KATHMANDU: Minister for Information and Communications, Shankar Pokharel, today said that the government’s top priority was to end the widespread anarchism that threatened law and order situation in the country.

Speaking at a programme jointly organised by Federation of Nepali Journalists, Freedom Forum and Article 19, Minister Pokharel said, “Maintaining law and order situation is a

prerequisite in order to move

ahead smoothly for the constitution writing process.”

He chastised the recent protest staged by civil servants inside the Singha Durbar saying that they breached laws inside the Singha Durbar, the country’s apex administrative office. He also attributed the growing anarchism to a physical threat to journalists. The minister further added that he was committed to address the problems prevalent in the media.

Speaking at the interaction, senior journalists underscored the need of drastic changes in the laws relating to media.

Narayan Sharma, Chairman, Press Council Nepal, said that the government should adhere to strict measures to provide security to journalists. Dhamendra Jha, President, FNJ, urged the government to make necessary amendments to the laws and regulations to make it relevant. He said that ending impunity and security of the journalist were the topmost challenges at present.

Tara Nath Dahal, Chairman, Freedom Forum, said that there were many problems and loopholes in the existing laws and regulations pertaining to the media sector that were formulated some 15 years ago.