'New bill to be introduced for welfare, protection of journalists next week'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Saleem Mandviwalla has announced to introduce a new bill for the welfare and protection of journalists next week, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Saleem Mandviwalla said in a statement that a new bill will be introduced for the protection of journalists next week. He said that several questions were raised against the previous bill in which details were not given for how to protect journalists or the constitution of an empowered commission.

The PPP senator claimed that the new bill will give a clear strategy of journalists’ protection and constitution of an empowered commission via legal amendment.

He urged that the government should also look into the welfare of all media workers instead of just focusing on the media houses owners.

READ: SINDH GOVERNOR RAISES OBJECTIONS OVER JOURNALISTS’ PROTECTION BILL

Earlier in November last year, the National Assembly had passed seven bills including protection of journalists and media professionals.

Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Naseem had presented the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 and the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 in the House.

The lower house had passed seven bills including the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021; the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021; the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Prior to the passing of the journalists’ protection bill, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had announced that the federal cabinet approved bills for the protection of journalists and legislation to curb forced or involuntary disappearance.

Shireen Mazari had announced that the cabinet has approved the Protection of Journalists & Media Professionals bill and the Forced or Involuntary Disappearance (Criminal Law Amendment) bill today.