ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP):Federal Minster for the Human Rights Dr Shrieen M Mazari on Wednesday said that Protection of the Journalists and Media professionals Act, 2021 would safeguard rights of journalists and media professionals including their rights of security, privacy,health, insurance and life protection.
Addressing the Protection of the Journalists and Media professionals Act, 2021 signing ceremony at Aiwan-e-Saddar, she said the long awaited legislation has come into force.
She said the input of different senior journalists such as Hamid Mir, Azhar Abbas, Mazhar Abbas, reporter without border and Pakistan Federal Union of journalist were sought in preparing the daft of this Act.
She thanked Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain for floating the idea of journalist’s protection and also thanked Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz.
She added that the Ministry of Human Rights had also conducted various meetings not only in the ministry but also circulated the copies of the Bill to different Journalists and other stakeholders for their input and eventually to make this Act.
She further added that the salient feature of the Act showed that it was more progressive than such laws in the developed world.
The Act protected the rights of media professional and journalists, besides ensuring their lives and equipment.
She said the Act provides job security to journalists and media workers and bound media owners to impart training.
About criticism on clause VI of the Act, she said it related to good faith obligation of journalists, media professionals and certain restrictions on their activities were not binding on them. “All journalists and media professionals must respect the rights or
reputation of others and not produce material that advocates national, Racal,
ethnic, religious, sectarian, linguistics, cultural and gender hatred which might constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence,” she added.
The Act not only provided security to media workers and protect their rights to carry out journalistic work independently and free of abuse and harassment and violent behavior.
She said that the commission would be independent and consisted of the members belonging to different journalists organizations and also representation of the three ministers including Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of law and Ministry of Human Rights.
She added that women have also been given representation in the commission.
She said the Commission would address the complaints of journalist’s community.
In the Act there is no controversies and debates as earlier the source of journalist was not protected.
