Pak govt, media groups, urged to ensure journalists safety

Islamabad, July 18, IRNA – Speakers at the forum have urged Pakistani government and media houses to ensure safety and security of journalists.

Speaking at the forum to discuss the safety and security of the media in Pakistan they said that journalists were working in dangerous conditions in Pakistan, adding that they face threats both in conflict and settled areas.

The discussion was organized by Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan.

Addressed by senior journalists, the panel discussion was moderated by Ambassador Lars Gunnar Wigemark, head of the European Union delegation to Pakistan.

Ambassador Lars Gunnar Wigemark in his address said that freedom expression is one of the core values of the European Union (EU).

He said the EU and Pakistan have many legal commitments regarding security of journalists.

“Pakistan is a dangerous country for journalists as 32 journalists have been killed in the past three years,” he said.

Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas said apart from intelligence agencies, criminal gangs have become partners with the political groups and react strongly whenever any of their wrongdoing is exposed.

He regretted that the managements of media houses and the government were not serious in providing security and safety to journalists.

For reporting in conflict areas, he said nobody without formal training should be sent on such assignments.

Abbas said it was responsibility of the management to provide insurance coverage, bullet proof jackets and related equipment to journalists reporting from conflict areas.

“Around 80 per cent of those killed during reporting in conflict areas were not even formal employees of newspapers or channels.”

Analyst Haroon Rashid, expressing his views, said that there were three main challenges to the journalists working in Pakistan.

He said lack of training is the main challenge as ‘being a journalist it is our duty to unearth the truth’.

“Truth always comes out no matter how much you hide it”, he said.

“The second challenge is that we have intolerant society in Pakistan, we are not ready to accept criticism”, he added.

“The third and the most important challenge is that the government has to provide protection to the journalists,” Haroon Rashid opined.

“Many journalists have been killed but still we don’t know who was behind those killings,” he said.

Columnist and senior analyst Ahmed Rashid said that information has been curtailed in Pakistan.

“Extremism in the country has targeted journalists; they are being killed in Quetta and Tribal Areas; where is the protection for journalists?” he asked.

“I am glad a commission has been set up on the killing of Saleem Shahzad,” he said.

Pakistani journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad, who had scored major scoops on Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, was abducted and brutally murdered in June this year.

Ahmed Rashid was of the view that terrorism cannot be fought by just army.

'… Government, media all have to work together in fighting the war against terror. We need government to be responsive to journalists,” he said.

He added that in most of the newspapers and news channels, role of editors is limited and the owners are involved in daily operational matters.

One of the panelists Zahid Hussian said Pakistan needed a code of ethics for media, which should be followed by all.

“Pakistan is the most dangerous country for the journalists,” he said.

He said security agencies, militants and the religious and political parties are threatening journalists.

He said it was becoming increasingly difficult for journalists to freely report and cover events in the country.

Compared to threats a decade back, he said now families have also been threatened.

He urged owners of the media organizations to provide financial security and safety to their employees./end