Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari says joint sub-committee formed earlier has suggested with additional input for Journalist Protection Bill 2020.
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-Nov 9th, 2020) Journalist Protection Bill 2020 was finalized, Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari said on Monday.
Taking to the minister, the federal minister said that the bill was finalized with additional input by joint sub-committee formed earlier.
She wrote: “Final meeting between MOHR and Information Ministry held this morning. Our Journalist Protection Bill has been finalised with additional inputs suggested by joint sub committee formed earlier. Will be sent to CCLC this week as Cabinet had approved it in principle already,”.
Earlier in February 2020, Shireen Mazari said in National Assembly that the government would ensure that every journalist and media professional’s right to life and security as enshrined in Article 9 of the constitution and will take appropriate action if such an individual was subjected to ill-treatment.
According to ‘Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2020’, in order to maintain the independence, impartiality and freedom of journalists and media professionals, the government shall take steps to ensure that existing or future counter-terrorism or national security laws are not utilized arbitrarily to hinder the work and safety of journalists and media professionals, including through arbitrary arrest or detention, or the threat thereof.
She recommended that the federal government shall constitute an independent commission to be known as the Commission for the Protection of Journalist and Media Professionals (CPJMP) to exercise the powers and perform the functions under this Act.
The commission shall consist of a chairperson, who has been a Judge of the Supreme Court, and has a demonstrable knowledge of, or practical experience in, matters relating to law, justice and human rights; four members nominated by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), one member from each Province of Pakistan; one member who is a representative of the National Press Club (NPC), as nominated by NPC; and One representative of the Ministry of Human Rights, as nominated by Ministry of Human Rights (ex officio).
The bill reads that the commission shall be deemed to be a civil court to the extent that is described in sections 175, 178, 179, 180 and 228 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860 (Act XLV of 1860). If any of the offences listed above are committed in the view or presence of the commission, the commission shall, after recording the facts constituting the offence and the statement of the accused as provided for in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), forward the case to a Magistrate having jurisdiction to try the same and the Magistrate to whom any such case is forwarded shall proceed to hear the complaint against the accused as if the case has been forwarded to him under section 346 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898).
It was stated that no person or institution, whether private or public, shall engage in any activity that violates the right to life and security of any journalist or media professional.
