Passage of The Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021 is a milestone in efforts to provide safety for Pakistani journalists – Pakistan Press Foundation
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) has termed the unanimous passage of The Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021 as a milestone in efforts to provide safety for Pakistani journalists. PPF also called on the Government to constitute the Commission at the earliest so that work can start on ending the climate of insecurity and impunity for crimes against journalists and media practitioners.
The Bill passed by the provincial assembly of Sindh envisages the creation of a robust, inclusive and autonomous Commission on Safety of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners comprising government duty bearers as well as media stakeholders, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), the Sindh Commission on Information Commission and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The Bill recognises journalists’ right to professional privacy and undertakes to implement the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
PPF played a leading role in maintaining momentum for the passage of legislation on journalists’ protection, following the presentation in February 2020 of the draft Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2020 in the federal cabinet by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari.
The process initiated by PPF, culminating in the passage of Bill in Sindh included a review of the draft bill by international experts to bring it in line with international practices; organizing a series of consultative sessions with editors, journalists, lawyers and human right practitioners; and the publication of a policy paper on the draft with specific clause-wise recommendations on improving the draft bill.
The publication of the policy paper was followed by lobbying efforts with leaders of political parties at national and provincial levels, that included meetings with President of Pakistan Arif Alvi, ministers, senators and members of the national and provincial assemblies. The political leaders appreciated the efforts of PPF and assured that the bill would soon be introduced in the relevant assemblies.
The Government of Sindh in particular expressed determination to pass the journalists’ protection law without any delay. At their request, PPF drafted the provincial the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021, which formed the basis of further consultation in an informal committee set up by the Sindh government. This committee comprised the Secretary of Information and Director of Information of the Sindh Government as well as PPF, PFUJ, the Karachi Press Club, the CPNE, senior media academic Professor Tauseef Ahmed and senior journalists Qazi Asif and Mazhar Abbas.
The committee sent the draft to a senior constitution lawyer to review and then in a series of consultations finalised the draft on May 18. Subsequently, it was presented to the Sindh Assembly on May 21. The bill was then referred to the Law Committee of the Sindh Assembly which approved the Bill on May 24.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali expressed appreciation for the support from Sindh Government, particularly Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussan Shah, Law Minister Murtaza Wahab, information secretaries Ejaz Baloch and Rafique Ahmed Buriro and Sindh Director of Information Saleem Khan.
Ali also thanked the leadership of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, Senator Sherry Rehman, Senator Saleem Mandviwala and Member of National Assembly Nafisa Shah and Shazia Marri for their support during the process.
PPF also welcomed the fact that a similar bill had earlier been presented in Pakistan’s National Assembly, where it has been sent to the Human Rights Committee for consideration. Ali called on the federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari to prompt and effective consultations in major media centres of the country so that the federal bill could be improved and then be approved at the earliest by the National Assembly.
Ali also called on the provinces of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, as well as Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, to follow suit and enact similar laws without any delay.
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