ISLAMABAD, 23 October 2026: MNA Sher Afzal Marwat will table a private member’s bill to suggest amendments to controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act-2016 law urging media watchdog Freedom Network (FNPK) to review the draft bill before he takes it to the National Assembly.
He made this announcement during his keynote speech at an event Islamabad-based Freedom Network held to launch the report – “From Safety on Paper to Safety in Practice,” an assessment of the federal and Sindh journalist safety commissions that calls for stronger institutional capacity, accessible complaint channels and measurable protection outcomes, on Thursday.
“Let’s see who stands where as these amendments are important to table to make the law transparant and acceptable,” a Press Release issued by the media watchdog on Friday quoted the member of the Parliament as going on to say.
MNA Sher Afzal said: “The draft bill is in final stage and will be shared with Freedom Network for its review.” He added that media and Parliament shoud stay and work together to make the democracy stronger and he offered his position as MNA to play this bridge role.
NA Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting MNA Pullain Baloch also spoke on this occasion. “My party (National Party, led by Dr Mallick) and I am available to help the media sector stay stronger.”
He said the NA Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting would work with primary and secondary stakeholders to address concerns and issues the media and its practitioners were facing.
He was also critical of some YouTubers with least concerned about ethics profession adhers to. “This is not journalism that you accuse someone without giving the allged accused right to reply,” he lashed at these YouTubers.
Co-authored by Minahil Shahab and Adnan Rehmat, the report analysed the operational status of the two commissions and underlined the need to make the government-led initiatives “response, effective and operational.”
Sharing five takeaways from the presentation Adnan Rehmat gave on key points of the report and discussions from two penals, there were five recommendations made to move forward on the issue of combating impunity for crimes against journalists in the country.
These recommendations include: 1) International Media Support (IMS) & FNPK must continue its advocacy for the single-point agenda of safety of journalists; 2), IMS, FNPK must continue engagemnet with two commissions for benefits of journalists’ safety; 3), FNPK & IMS must keep engagement with national and provincial Parliaments to promote the agenda of combating impunuty for crimes against journalists; 4), FNPK, IMS, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and Regional Union of Journalists work out mechanisms for better coordination on monitoring and documentation of threats against journalists; and 5) A caucus on “Freedom of Expression” may be set up at the Senate and National Assembly level to protect the mother all fundamental rights.
Caption: National Assembly Standing Committee Chairperson Pullain Baloch [R] and MNA Sher Afzal Marwat address Freedom Network report launch event in Islamabad on 22 October 2026. Photos by Freedom Network
