Take Up Cases of Four Journalists Murdered In Punjab This Year
Press Statement
LAHORE, August 23, 2024: The Punjab Journalists Protection Coordination Committee (PJPCC) met on Tuesday – 20 August 2024 – here deciding to fast-track investigation into four murder cases of journalists and arresting accused and suggesting legal framework to combat impunity for crimes against media and its practitioners.
The PJPCC, notified on 19 May 2023 after approval by the Caretaker Standing Committee of Cabinet on Law and Order dated 13 May last year, met for the second time after its meeting over a year ago. The committee’s notification followed Freedom Network-led Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition-Punjab chapter engagement with the then caretaker information minister, Amir Mir, to set up a mechanism aiming to combat impunity for crimes against journalists in the province.
DIG Legal Awais Ahmed chaired the meeting and was attended among others by AIG Legal – II Sheikh Asif Ali, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Afzal Butt, Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak and Press Information Department director Maaz Khawaja and assistant director Ms Roha Khan.
The meeting decided to fast-track cases of four journalists killed this year in Punjab – the highest in any province this year so far – after Iqbal Khattak highlighted the cases.
Iqbal Khattak told the meeting that there was dire need to transform PJPCC into a legal framework suggesting to the Punjab government to table a bill on protection of journalists on lines of Sind government. The PJPCC meeting unanimously approved this point to be part of the minutes advising the Press Information Department’s representatives to take up the issue with the relevant authorities.
PFUJ president Afzal Butt, while acknowledging the shortcomings, recognized the potential of the PJPCC, advocating for more consistent meetings, even if conducted online, and the enhancement of reporting and documentation tools.
In response to some concerns regarding templates for registering complaints from journalists, Iqbal Khattak offered Freedom Network’s support to the PJPCC in developing templates and systems to better monitor and document threats against journalists. He reiterated the urgent need for a functional and responsive system to address the growing dangers media professionals in Punjab are facing.
DIG Legal Awais Malik, in his concluding comments, said the committee members would meet regularly and information-sharing mechanisms get better.
