State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb asked the committee to make the new draft and submit it to the ministry and the ministry will combine the bill with the government bill to make it a compact and comprehensive bill.
The meeting of the sub-committee was held here under the convenorship of Farhatullah Babar and was attend by Nehal Hashmi, Khushbakht Shujat, State Minister Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb, Secretary IBNH&LH Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, working journalists and representatives from media owners.
Farhatullah Babar said that protection and safety of media persons is a critical issue as several working journalists have lost their lives in the line of duty. He said that protection of the media persons should be top priority of the proposed bill as welfare related issues are covered in other laws.
He appreciated the role of Marriyum Aurangzeb in preparation of Right to Information Bill and expressed the hope that her cooperation for journalist's safety and security bill would prove helpful for its early enactment.
He said that it was a good sign that the government has decided to hold further consultations on the bill before its approval from the cabinet. He said that there is a need to have a mechanism for protection of the media persons and a special public prosecutor should be appointed for trial of the accused. He said that as the Senate elections are due in March, the term of the present committee would end by then and it is necessary to reach a consensus on the bill by the end of next month.
Nehal Hashmi called for fast-track preparation of the draft as if it is not finalized before Senate elections, it could be delayed till August. President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Afzal Butt said that the role of media house owners regarding finalization of the bill is negative.
Nasir Malik, a representative of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, said that it is responsibility of the media house owners to provide the working journalists with protection gear.
Executive Director Freedom Network, Iqbal Khattak said that risk could be minimized by providing protection to the media persons working in high risk areas. He said that the government, media houses and journalists should deliberate on defining their respective role in protection of journalists. The representatives of All Pakistan Newspapers Society and Pakistan Broadcasters Association also attended the meeting.