Islamabad (HRNW) — The Senate of Pakistan has approved an amendment bill aimed at safeguarding journalists and media workers. The bill seeks to ensure freedom of expression and protect media professionals from threats and attacks while performing their duties.
According to the legislation, freedom of expression is defined as the right to collect, disseminate, and publish information. To protect journalists, the bill proposes the establishment of an independent commission, headed by a Chairperson qualified to be a High Court judge with at least 15 years of legal practice, especially in human rights and journalists’ rights.
The federal government will appoint the Chairperson and members of the commission for a fixed term of three years, with no extensions allowed.
The commission will be responsible for protecting journalists and media workers who face attacks due to exercising their freedom of expression. Its mandate extends to the safety of their spouses, dependents, colleagues, and close relatives.
The bill also requires the commission to take steps to protect journalists’ property, equipment, professional groups, organizations, and social movements. Any person who attacks a journalist during duty may face up to seven years in prison and a fine of PKR 300,000.
Furthermore, the bill prohibits coercion of journalists to reveal confidential sources, with violators facing up to three years in prison and a fine of PKR 100,000.
This legislation is widely regarded as a significant step toward ensuring journalists’ safety and promoting press freedom in Pakistan, creating a legal framework to uphold accountability and protect human rights in media practice.
Human Rights News Worldwide (HRNW) welcomes this landmark development and calls on all stakeholders to support and enforce mechanisms that safeguard journalists, defend freedom of expression, and strengthen democratic accountability.
👉 Support HRNW’s mission for press freedom and human rights advocacy:
hrnww.com/support-us
