Sindh plans commission to protect journalists: Ghani

Sindh government has reiterated that a commission will be formed to implement the law to protect media persons against harassment and violence while performing their duties.

Sindh Information and Labour Minister, Saeed Ghani has said that provincial government in order to ensure safety of media people in the province will soon establish the commission along with the adoption of its terms of reference as envisaged in the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act-2021.

The minister made the announcement to this effect while addressing the journalists' convention organised by Sindh Journalists' Council at Malir Press Club on Tuesday.

Ghani mentioned that the Sindh Assembly was the first in the country to adopt a law to ensure the safety of journalists.

He said that freedom of the press was necessary for political freedom but it was unfortunate that Pakistan was counted among the countries, which were considered the most dangerous nation for journalists.

He said that journalists in the country had been subjected to violence. Many journalists were abducted and killed.

Read More: Curious case of harassment

He lamented that several daring journalists had to lose their jobs because of speaking the truth or adhering to their principled stance.

Saeed Ghani said the PPP's services to resolve the problems of journalists had been unmatchable.

Theminister said the Sindh government had always taken the initiative to provide grants to the press clubs, financial assistance to the deserving journalists, and for allotment of residential plots to the members of the media fraternity in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2022.