Journalists’ murderers will not be spared, assures Gilani

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Saturday assured the media fraternity that no culprit found involved in the killing of journalists would be spared because the government was committed to providing justice to them.
“We will provide justice to those who are killed, injured or disabled in the line of duty,” he said while addressing the participants of the concluding session of conference on “Attacks on Journalists and Freedom of Media” organised by Pakistan Media Commission here at a local hotel. “The media can clear the wrong perceptions and supplement the government’s efforts in creating a better image of the country,” he said, adding that the media code of ethics should be observed by the journalists in the reporting of conflict and terror incidents.
He said intelligent and sound use of media can play an important role in resolving internal and external conflicts. He said the media had, undoubtedly, emerged as the most significant element of national power and has moved close to the heartbeat of the nation. “It must now realize its responsibilities towards people and the State,” he added. He said media should raise professional standards, observe media ethics and agree to a framework, which should be evolved through consensus among all relevant media organizations.
The PM said presence of an independent, progressive, robust and vibrant media had added a positive dimension to the national pride, by keeping open a window of hope and optimism. He said the government also wholeheartedly recognised media’s strength and power and committed to working together with media for realizing national goals. Gilani said Pakistani media enjoyed unprecedented freedom and all the draconian laws of the dictator, which curtailed media freedom, were repealed by the government as per the commitment.
The amendments introduced in the PEMRA Ordinance-2002 and Press Laws on November 3, 2007 had been revoked and no intrusion in the freedom of expression has been allowed, he said. He said the government will ensure that citizens ‘Right to Know’ law is preserved at all costs so that the people could get real information through media. Referring to the achievements of the government, the PM said the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP), established under a law in 2002, is now complete and has become a functional body.
He hoped that the Press Council will play a role of a bridge between common masses and media institutions and it will be a non-partisan, independent and autonomous body which will be compatible with the regional and global institutions. He mentioned those journalists who reported on sensitive issues and were martyred during this year, including Faisal Qureshi, Saleem Shahzad, Wali Khan Babar, Saifullah Khan and Nasrullah Khan Afridi. He said the institutional mechanism for the protection of journalists against violence and threats was being devised.
The PM also mentioned establishment of Endowment Fund of Rs 200 million for the welfare of journalists and the affected families of journalists who had lost their lives in the line of duty. He said another proposal for the establishment of the Endowment Fund for journalists under the guardianship of South Asia Free Media Association was being considered, and announced Rs 30 million for the endowment fund. He also mentioned the establishment of Judicial Commission to investigate the murder of Saleem Shahzad who was brutally murdered and assured that all necessary measures will be taken to implement the recommendations of the Commission which is working with full facilitation from the government.