Govt greets media persons on passage of bills

 

ISLAMABAD, NOV 19: The upper house of parliament on Friday passed four bills, including the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill 2021 and the National Accountability Amendment Bill 2021, amidst protests from the opposition benches.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari has congratulated media persons on the passage of the journalist protection bill.

“Today, a two-year struggle to provide a comprehensive journalist and media professionals protection law, drafted in consultation with journalists’ bodies, was finally realised through parliament,” she said.

The minister said that President Arif Alvi will now sign the bill into law, and also thanked journalists and media professionals for “their valuable inputs and support”.

“The bill reflects these inputs,” she said, adding that it was drafted with consensus. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also hailed the passage of bill, saying it was an expression of the government’s commitment towards journalistic freedom.

“Congratulations to working journalists. This bill will grant journalists rights that are only given to media professionals in highly developed societies,” the minister said in a tweet.

He also thanked Mazari for turning his idea for journalists’ protection into reality. He said the new law would pave the way in securing the lives of journalists.

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Courtesy Dawn News

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