Despite enacting legislation aimed at safeguarding journalists, Pakistan continues to grapple with rising impunity for crimes against journalists, according to the Annual Impunity Report for 2023 by Freedom Network. This report, titled “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back – Pakistan Legislates on the Safety of Journalists, But Still Fails to Protect Them,” was released in anticipation of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, observed on November 2.
The report underscores that since the introduction of safety laws for journalists, first by the Sindh government and subsequently by the federal government in late 2021, Pakistan has witnessed an alarming surge in the persecution of journalists. These attacks, especially by government authorities and state agencies, include instances of kidnapping, physical assaults, and the initiation of serious legal cases. These cases often involve unproven charges of sedition, treason, and electronic crimes in the two years following the legislation’s implementation.
In recalling the passage of the ‘Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act-2021’ and the ‘Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act-2021′ by the National Assembly, the report highlights that Pakistan, despite having these legal instruments, has failed to combat the increasing impunity for crimes against journalists.
The report points out that Islamabad alone accounted for at least 37.5% of violations, with 93 out of 248 total cases recorded between August 2021 and August 2023. Sindh, as the second-worst affected region, reported 22.5% of the violations, amounting to 56 cases. It’s worth noting that the irony lies in the fact that the regions with these legislations for journalist safety have been the ones reporting the most attacks on journalists.
Additionally, the report reveals that during this period, 11 journalists lost their lives while performing their duties. Pakistan’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has improved from 157th in 2021 to 150th in 2023, thanks to the implementation of the two laws. However, Freedom Network’s Executive Director, Iqbal Khattak, expressed dismay at the laws’ limited effectiveness, stating that both the federal and Sindh governments are responsible for undermining their own legislation, thereby delaying justice for journalists.
The report further highlights that despite the passage of the federal Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act during the tenure of PTI Chairman Imran Khan, neither the Khan government nor the previous Sharif government established the mandated safety commission. This rendered the federal law non-operational and failed to protect the 93 journalists in Islamabad who faced various threats and attacks since its enactment.
The situation was similar in Sindh, where the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act was passed, but the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and other Media Practitioners (CPJMP) remained dormant. Even after a year, it was officially notified in December 2022, with the appointment of Rasheed A Razvi as its first chairperson. However, Sindh authorities did not allocate an office, staff, or budget for the commission until August 2023, hampering its ability to provide protection, relief, and justice to journalists and media entities.
The report concludes with three recommendations: the urgent establishment of a safety commission under the federal Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, the allocation of appropriate resources, including budget, office, and staff, for Sindh’s commission, and the enactment of similar journalists’ safety laws in Balochistan, KP, and Punjab after the 2024 provincial elections.
Pakistan has a unique opportunity to become a global leader in combating impunity for crimes against journalists with the presence of these specialist journalists’ safety legislations in its legal framework. However, these recommendations must be a priority for this promise to be realized.
