LAHORE
Representatives of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Lahore Press Club and South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) met on Wednesday at the South Asian Media Centre and passed a resolution.
The resolution condemned the attack on TV journalist Hamid Mir and threats to other journalists.
The meeting praised the formation of a judicial commission by the chief justice of Pakistan, legal course being opted by the ministry of defence and caution now being shown by the Jang Group.
The resolution said, “We emphasise the right to life, freedom of expression, fundamental rights, accountability of all, observance of media ethics and security of journalists must be upheld and cannot be compromised on any pretext whatsoever.”
The resolution also said, “We demand that an independent inquiry must be ensured and the Judicial Commission must investigate not only the Hamid Mir case but also all aspects of the conflict between media and the security establishment to not only find the real culprits but also propose such measures as could ensure the security of journalists from various quarters. Findings of the Judicial Commission be made public and implemented.”
All media houses must observe media ethics and demonstrate solidarity on the issues of media freedom and security of mediapersons, instead of indulging in mudslinging against each other, the resolution read.
It also read that the media must avoid casting aspersions against any segment of national institutions and all state institutions must respect right to life and fundamental rights, including press freedom.
The meeting said no measures to curb press freedom would be acceptable by the media community, civil society and democratic forces.
The resolution urged the media to evolve its code of ethics and observe it diligently.
PEMRA should be reconstituted making it a bipartisan body like the Election Commission of Pakistan, the resolution concluded.