Journalism without Fear or Favour: World Press Freedom Day observed

ISLAMABAD: World Press Freedom Day was observed in Pakistan and around the world on Sunday with journalists making a resolve to keep pursuing the mission without being intimidated by the rival forces.

The theme for this year's World Press Freedom Day was “Journalism without Fear or Favour” with sub-themes discussing the safety of journalists and all the media workers. It also talks about the independent and professional journalism free from political and commercial influence and gender equality in all aspect of the media.

World Press Freedom Day was also commemorated across Azad Jammu Kashmir with the renewal of the pledge to continue supporting the struggles for the safety and security of the basic human right of expression and the freedom of press the world over.

The day was particularly marked with unanimous demand to the world human rights bodies for the grant of complete freedom to the press the world over especially in the areas like Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) where the freedom of expression was being gagged by the occupation Indian forces at the gun point primarily to suppress the Kashmiris’ struggle for liberation of the motherland from forced and unlawful Indian rule. This year the media in Pakistan and AJK is operating under a new and challenging environment created by the spread of COVID-19. Since the spread of the pandemic in the country, two journalists have reportedly died and at least 38 media workers have tested positive.

In AJK, various organisations of media workers and press clubs including the Jammu Kashmir Union of Journalists reportedly held brief meetings maintaining social distance in line with the set SOPs in view of the current COVID-19 to avert threat of its spread in various AJK cities, primarily as hallmark of the World Press Freedom Day.

Expressing grave concern over the increased incidents of victimisation of journalists in Indian Occupied Kashmir by the Indian occupation forces, these meetings vehemently condemned increased restrictions imposed to suppress the voice of media in IOK.

Special ceremonies were held in various parts of Azad Jammu Kashmir under the auspices of various journalists organisations and press clubs to observe the day which provides an opportunity to the press to recount their outcomes over the previous years.

Pakistan expressed solidarity with the journalist fraternity in IOK, which continued to face a relentless campaign of harassment and intimidation.

“While saluting their exceptional courage, we also honour the sacrifice of those Kashmiri journalists who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. The latest among those martyrs was Shujaat Bukhari in June 2018,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement.

She commended the Kashmiri journalists for continuously working with conviction and professionalism, despite the heavy handedness of Indian occupation forces acting with impunity under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA), Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

She said the global media watchdogs, Indian and international human rights groups, and civil society organisations had expressed deep concerns over unprecedented restrictions imposed on the media, the widespread intimidation of Kashmiri journalists, and the precarious state of their work environment.

“It is clear that the RSS-inspired BJP government is motivated by the sole objective of hiding its blatant human rights violations in IOK and is bent on muzzling independent voices of the media and journalists,” she said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar paid rich tributes to the services of media on the World Press Freedom Day.

In a message, Usman Buzdar complimented that he salutes all those journalists who laid down their lives for press freedom, saying media has played an unforgettable and undeniable role to raise collective awareness in the society. He underscored that promotion of democracy was linked to freedom of press.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani while felicitating the journalist community on World Press Freedom Day said media was an important pillar of the state.

In his message, the Senate chairman said the services rendered by the journalist community for the nation and country would always be remembered. He said the media workers were performing duties while endangering their lives.