Call to operationalise journalist safety commissions

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition (PJSC) - the federal chapter -on Tuesday set a one-month deadline to operationalise the federal and Sindh commissions on the protection of journalists.

It warned that failure to meet this deadline would result in the release of a “white paper” to highlight the persistent lack of justice and accountability for crimes against journalists. “It has been almost three years since the federal law on the protection of journalists was passed by the National Assembly. Yet, the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has failed to complete the process of notifying the commission (under the law) to combat impunity for crimes against journalists,” said PJSC federal chapter president Hamid Mir at a meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting discussed the high degree of impunity despite the demonstrated support and commitment of all stakeholders.

The PJSC expressed concern over the slow progress in notifying the federal commission and the delay in nominating a new chairperson for the Sindh Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners, following the resignation of the incumbent chairperson three months ago.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was the keynote speaker at a PJSC meeting in December 2022, where he had publicly announced that the federal commission would soon be established. It has now been two years since that announcement, and yet there is no commission,” Hamid Mir lamented.

Sindh Commission member Jabbar Khattak informed the meeting that the Sindh government had yet to notify the new chairperson.

“Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Memon assured me this morning that the provincial cabinet would meet tomorrow (Wednesday) to approve the nomination of a new chairperson,” he said.

Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak said the federal government’s silence on its commitment to combat impunity for crimes against journalists. “Islamabad is the second most dangerous city after Sindh province for journalists, with a significant number of threats reported in the past year,” he said.

The meeting also voiced concern over the expulsion of the Freedom Network team from Dera Ghazi Khan, where they had planned to meet local journalists to discuss safety challenges. It further criticised the continued closure of the D.G. Khan Press Club, despite a court order to reopen it.

Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Afzal Butt said that the federal commission’s establishment was being “kept in cold storage” despite initial government support. “Mere demands will not suffice,” he said. “Pressure must be applied to compel the government to fulfil its obligations.”

Senator Farhatullah Babar criticised the government for playing the “victim card.” He remarked, “Instead of journalists being seen as victims, the government is portraying itself as one. The oppression and suppression of digital spaces is a new dimension to the threats faced by journalists.”

The PJSC reiterated its demand for a judicial commission to probe the murder of investigative journalist Arshad Sharif and called for an investigation into the filing of a “fake” FIR against broadcast journalist Matiullah Jan. It held the Islamabad police chief and the SHO responsible for registering the infamous FIR.

The meeting was attended by Rehan Ahmed of the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) council member Sadia Bukhari, National Press Club secretary Nayar Ali, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) president Tariq Virk, National Commission of Human Rights representative Shazil Malik, and journalists Asma Shirazi and Myra Imran of the Women Journalists Association of Pakistan (WJAP).

The PJSC serves as a crucial platform addressing the core challenge of impunity for crimes against journalists. Established in response to escalating threats, censorship, and a culture of impunity, the Coalition unites stakeholders from civil society, media organisations, government bodies, and legal experts. Its efforts are aimed at strengthening institutional frameworks, advocating for legal protections, and fostering accountability to ensure a safe and supportive environment for journalists in Pakistan.