The long-awaited Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 was finally moved to the National Assembly (NA) on Friday and it is the high time for the parliament to keep media houses under the scanner for protection of rights of journalists.
The bill is meant to protect journalists and media workers who have suffered long in the industry.
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Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari thanked all those who participated and gave valuable inputs in the bill.
Today our Journalist and Media Professionals Protection bill has finally been “introduced” in NA so now it will go to the SC on HR of the NA. Want to thank all those who participated & gave valuable inputs @HamidMirPAK @arsched @MazharAbbasGEO @Xadeejournalist @NasimZehra
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) May 21, 2021
However, this is just the first step of the ladder as the government will be required to keep an eye on unruly media oweners as pointed out by senior journalist Mazhar Abbas.
Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021 Bill now before the National Assembly. Step in the right direction but there is still a long way to go. Media Houses also need to fulfil their obligations and responsibilities as employers. Thank you Ms Shireen Mazari.
— Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) May 21, 2021
Pakistan is one of the countries ranked low in press freedom and several journalists in the recent past have lost their jobs on the pretext that media channels were going through a financial crunch.
The government has done half of the job on its part but it still requires to ensure that the bill is implemented in full spirit.
For this, the major requirement would be to ascertain that the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) protect the rights of the journalists.
For instance, the big media houses including Geo News and ARY News don’t facilitate employees with gratuity or provident fund, let alone be small media houses.
Similarly, hundreds of journalists and low-paid workers were sacked from their jobs in a recent ‘financial crunch’ as claimed by the media houses.
Besides this, at least 138 journalists have been killed in Pakistan since 1990 according to a white paper published by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in December, 2020.
Moreover, the field reporters and workers are not covered by insurance who perform duties in dangerous circumstances.
The parliament needs to bind all media houses abide by the rules set in the legislation.