The National Assembly has passed the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021, according to which a comprehensive security policy and regulations will be set for media owners, journalists and media workers.
The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill was unanimously approved in the National Assembly on Monday.
Regarding the approval of the bill, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said in a statement on the social networking site that the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill has been passed unanimously by the National Assembly.
He said that Fawad Chaudhry and Shireen Mazari had played an effective role in the preparation of the bill, while the bill also included suggestions from media representatives.
جرنلسٹس اینڈ میڈیا پروفیشنلز تحفظ کا بل 2021 قومی اسمبلی سے متفقہ طور پر پاس ہوگیا ہے۔ اس بل کو بنانے میں @ShireenMazari1 @fawadchaudhry نے بھرپور کردار ادا کیا ہے۔ میڈیا نمائندوں کی تجاویز کو شامل کیا گیا۔
قومی اسمبلی کی کمیٹی برائےانسانی حقوق اور اپوزیشن کا تعاون بھی شامل ہے— Farrukh Habib (@FarrukhHabibISF) November 8, 2021
He added that the support of the National Assembly’s Committee on Human Rights and opposition was also included in the bill.
According to the draft of the bill, the government will take steps to protect journalists and media professionals from any kind of abuse, violence, exploitation at the hands of any individual, institution (public or private) or authority.
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Through this legislation, journalists welfare scheme will be launched, according to which comprehensive security policy and rules will be set for media owners, journalists and media workers.
The National Assembly also approved a bill to declare forced disappearance as crime. An amendment to the forced disappearance bill has also been approved on the occasion, Farrukh said.
Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari thanked the opposition for the approval of the bill and said that Human Rights Committee led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari supported the bill. This bill was in pending for last two years.