ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari expressed her gladness over the cabinet that recently approved the journalist and media professionals bill.
In a tweet, she expressed that she was happy that the bill was made in consultation with journalists. It took a while to get it into final shape with inputs from journalists incorporated, she added.
Glad cabinet approved IN PRINCIPLE our Journalist and media professionals Bill today. Was done in consultation with journalists and took a while to get it into final shape with inputs from journalists incorporated. @fawadchaudhry requested us to do this when he was info min.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) February 25, 2020
The journalist and media professionals bill seeks to promote, protect and effectively ensure the independence, impartiality, safety, and freedom of expression of journalists and media professionals.
Under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the proposed legislation includes the freedom to seek, receive and grant information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media.
It further notes that the safety and independence of journalists was the requirement of any democratic society in light of the “specific attacks on journalists.
The proposed legislation also underscores the need to establish a legal structure for the protection and promotion of the rights of media professionals and journalists.
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