The Senate’s Standing Committee on Information discussed at length the draft bill for the protection and security of journalists earlier prepared by its subcommittee and after some amendments decided to forward it to the Information Ministry.
Explaining the salient features of the draft bill, convener Senator Farhatullah Babar said that it provided for a council with representatives of journalist bodies, media safety experts, human rights activists nominated by the National Commission on Human Rights and special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists, besides official representatives from ministries of information, interior, law and justice, PEMRA and principal information officer.
The council will operate a journalists safety fund to assist journalists under attack, ascertain and address causes of impunity of crimes against journalists and formulate in consultation with APNS, PBA, CPNE and PBA and implement safety and security policies, said Babar
The scope of beneficiaries has been extended to cover all permanent and contractual journalists employed by private or state media organisations possessing valid accredited identification cards.
The bill is titled as the Journalists Safety, Security and Protection Act, 2017, extends to whole of Pakistan until relevant provincial laws are enacted and shall come into force at once. Babar said that the UN recommendation of appointing a special prosecutor for crimes against journalists had also been included in the bill. The special prosecutor will oversee prosecution of the cases of crimes against journalists and also devise a mechanism for combating impunity of crimes against journalists, he said. A fund called Journalists Safety Fund to be administered by the council has also been provided. Initially the government will make a donation of Rs 200 million but every media organisation shall also make regular contributions towards it in proportion to the number of employees employed by it. However, the committee decided to levy a fixed percentage of the revenue of each media house towards the fund and asked the Information Ministry for its inputs. The council shall also have the authority to raise its own funds from donations. This bill seeks to address the issues involved in the safety, security and protection of journalists through a multi-pronged effort with shared responsibility of all stakeholders. The finalization of bill on the safety of journalists is a step in a right direction. A large number of journalists have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Over the last twelve months, intimidation of journalists has skyrocketed. Journalists need protection and safety for performing their duties independently. It is good that the government will donate an initial Rs 200 million and media organisations across the board will also likely make regular contributions to the Fund. We hope this legislation will ensure protection and safety of working journalists.
