Special law sought to combat crimes against journalists

LAHORE:Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition (PJSC)-Punjab chapter, Lahore Press Club and Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) on Friday demanded of the provincial government to do special legislation to combat impunity for crimes against journalists in the province.

The call comes after a meeting of PJSC-Punjab chapter held with leaders of Lahore Press Club, PUJ to discuss state of media freedoms in the province and way forward to help create an enabling environment for independent journalism. Punjab has been the third most dangerous province for journalists with 18 cases after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 22 and Islamabad’s 20 threat cases against journalists between May 2024 and April 2025, according to media watchdog Freedom Network’s Pakistan Freedom of Expression and Media Freedoms Report 2025.

A press statement issued here on Friday quoted the meeting participants as urging Punjab CM to take the call of the meeting urgently and seriously to move forward on protecting journalists and bringing perpetrators crimes to justice. “Protection of journalists has to be a top priority,” Secretary General of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and President of Lahore Press Club Arshad Ansari told the meeting. “We hope both treasury and opposition members of Punjab Assembly will support bill to combat impunity for crimes against journalists,” he said.

“Media and its practitioners need an enabling environment to work fearlessly and professionally. There is no journalism possible amidst threats and deepening culture of impunity,” media watchdog Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak told the meeting. Qamar Zaman Bhatti, Naeem Hanif, Sadia Salahuddin, Saima Nawaz, Amer Malik and Rehman Bhutta attended the meeting.