News Desk:
Islamabad, 28 September: Sixteen prominent media organizations have issued a critical appeal to Pakistan’s main political parties, both at the national and provincial levels, as they gear up for the upcoming general elections. The appeal implores these parties to incorporate tangible measures in support of press freedom within their election manifestos.
Amidst growing concerns about the deteriorating conditions faced by journalists in Pakistan, leading press clubs, national and provincial journalists’ unions, along with the Paris-based global media watchdog organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and RSF’s Pakistan partner Freedom Network, are jointly calling upon political leaders to commit to defending freedom of expression and ensuring the protection of journalists in their party manifestos.
An end to impunity demanded
The joint letter highlights the alarming levels of impunity surrounding crimes against journalists and the media in Pakistan. The RSF’s Pakistan partner, Freedom Network, reported in its Annual Impunity 2022 Report that an astonishing “96% of journalist killings” over the past decade resulted in no convictions. This high rate of impunity poses a grave threat to journalists, denying the citizens of Pakistan their fundamental right to access information, as enshrined in the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan under Articles 19 and 19A.
Key Points:
- Pakistan’s leading press clubs, journalists’ unions, and media watchdogs are uniting to press for press freedom commitments from political parties.
- The joint appeal underscores the shocking impunity for crimes against journalists in Pakistan, with a 96% lack of convictions for journalist killings over the last decade.
- The statement emphasizes the importance of protecting journalistic independence and pluralism as crucial elements of a functioning democracy.
- Traditionally, political parties in Pakistan have supported freedom of expression and press freedom, a tradition that the appeal calls upon them to uphold.
- The appeal urges political parties to support press freedom, the right to reliable information, and the defense of journalists, as well as to combat impunity for crimes against the media through Pakistan’s legal framework.
- It also calls for justice to be served against those responsible for crimes against journalists.
Participating Organizations: Karachi Press Club, Lahore Press Club, Quetta Press Club, National Press Club, Islamabad, Peshawar Press Club, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Karachi Union of Journalists, Punjab Union of Journalists, Balochistan Union of Journalists, Khyber Union of Journalists, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan (DigiMAP), Pakistan Journalists Safety Coalition (PJSC)-Federal chapter, Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND), Freedom Network, Reporters Without Borders, and TV journalist Hamid Mir.
Press Release
