Senate info panel okays commission for protection of journalists

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting Wednesday unanimously approved the establishment of a Commission for the Protection of Journalists.

The committee suggested that media professionals and representatives of PFUJ along with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting prepare a draft and define the official definition of a ‘journalist’.

The forum also discussed threadbare the necessary amendments related to the protection of journalists, media professionals and the right to access to information.

The meeting was held here at the Parliament House presided over by the chairmanship of Committee Chairman Senator Syed Ali Zafar.

It also examined in detail the ‘Right of Access to Information (Amendment) Bill 2020’ presented by Senator Salim Mandviwala in the Senate session held on January 31, 2022. The Standing Committee passed the bill with several amendments. Regarding the protection of journalists and media professionals, the committee agreed that journalists and media professionals are the fourth pillar of the state so it is the responsibility of the state to protect them from physical violence, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances etc.

It also discussed the Defamation Act passed by the Punjab Assembly. The chairman said that this law has nationwide implications, so it needs to be discussed in the committee.

However, Senator Pervez Rasheed objected to this and said that a province has made a law. “We should listen to the Advocate General of Punjab on this,” he maintained.

The committee suggested that the media professionals should submit the draft Defamation Act 2002 with the consensus of all the stakeholders in the next meeting of the committee.

The forum also accorded approval to the minutes of the committee meeting held on July 10, 2024. The standing committee reviewed the private member’s bill for the ‘Right to Access to Information (Amendment) Bill’ presented by Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur in the Senate meeting in November last.

Regarding Senator Manzoor Ahmed’s access to the Information Amendment Bill, the chairman of the committee said that Senator Manzoor Ahmed requested to postpone it until the next meeting. The Standing Committee postponed this agenda until the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by the Chairman Senator Syed Ali Zafar, Senator Pervez Rasheed, Senator Muhammad Tallal Badar, Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan, Senator Jan Muhammad, Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy, Senator Saleem Mandwiwala, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting and others. On the special invitation of the Chairman Committee, eminent journalists besides representatives of electronic and print media also attended the meeting and gave their suggestions on the amendment bills.