- A Journalists Safety Fund will be introduced to assist the journalists under attack, ascertain and address causes of impunity of crimes against journalists
ISLAMABAD: After some amendments and deliberations, the Senate Standing Committee on Information has decided to forward the draft bill, pertaining to protection and security of journalists, to the Information Ministry.
The committee that met under the Chairmanship of Senator Kamil Ali Agha on Monday discussed at length the draft bill for the protection and security of journalists earlier prepared by its subcommittee.
The meeting was attended by Senators Sassui Palejo, Dr Ghaus Muhammad Khan Niazi, Sardar Muhammad Yaqub Khan Nasir and Farhatullah Babar.
The subcommittee was comprised of senators Nehal Hashmi, Khushbakht Shujat and Farhatullah Babar.
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 (NHCR) 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 the journalists under attack, ascertain and address causes of impunity of crimes against journalists and formulate in consultation with All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE).
The council has also been tasked to develop policies for digital safety and protection of online spaces of journalists needed for a safe environment for journalistic work, he said.
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 titled as the Journalists Safety, Security and Protection Act 2017, extends to entire country until relevant provincial laws are enacted and shall come into force at once.
Farhatullah Babar said that the UN recommendation of appointing a Special Prosecutor for crimes against journalists has also been provided 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.
Senator Babar said that the subcommittee was conscious that in a number of cases the official agencies were accused of involvement in crimes against journalists. The Special Prosecutor shall also devise special systems to address allegations of involvement of state agencies, he said.
This is a ground breaking initiative and is along the line of the Right to Information Legislation to provide some mechanism for questioning agencies within a limited framework, he said.
A fund called Journalists Safety Fund to be administered be 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.
