The roundtable consultation, organised by the Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in collaboration with the Commonwealth Foundation, was held at the Mirpur Khas Press Club on August 7. The consultation brought together journalists, representatives of media bodies, lawyers, civil society, police and government departments to discuss the provincial media safety law, its implementation and challenges faced by journalists in the district. Advocate High Court Muhammad Hassan Pathan facilitated the consultation.

The consultation began with a detailed presentation on the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act, 2021, the risks faced by journalists and the role and functioning of the Sindh media safety commission. Participants were briefed on key provisions of the law, including source protection, legal assistance, life insurance, witness protection, training, the schedule of offences, the Commission’s powers and mechanisms for reporting attacks.

While some lawyers, journalists and Information Department officials were aware of the law and its rules, the consultation found that awareness remained limited among several other stakeholders. Participants also noted that understanding of the Commission’s functioning needed to be strengthened. Materials on the law were provided to participants in English and Urdu to facilitate wider understanding.

A major concern raised during the discussion was the limited implementation of laws in Pakistan, including the provincial journalists’ protection law. Participants broadly agreed that the existence of legislation alone was insufficient without effective enforcement. President of the High Court Bar Association Mirpur Khas Shaukat Ali Rahimo appreciated the constitutional basis of the law but raised concerns regarding pressures affecting journalists’ ability to report certain issues. Other legal representatives similarly acknowledged the importance of the law while highlighting continuing implementation challenges.

Participants also expressed concern over shrinking media freedom and pressures on journalists and media outlets. Mirpur Khas Press Club President Nazir Panhwar said journalists sometimes face difficulties in getting their reports published or broadcast and highlighted pressures arising from relationships between media owners, political actors and other influential groups. The discussion also touched on challenges faced by journalists working without regular salaries and the need for stronger professional standards within the media sector.

The consultation highlighted the need to strengthen local mechanisms for journalists’ protection. Deputy Director Information Ghulam Raza Khoso expressed willingness to support the establishment of a divisional or district-level network for the protection of journalists. Participants also proposed establishing local support structures to improve access to the Commission and provide assistance to journalists at the district level.

Participants made several recommendations to improve the implementation of the law. These included increasing awareness of the Act through programmes at tehsil/ district levels, providing risk-reduction training to journalists in rural areas, ensuring that police station officials are familiar with the law, and establishing district-level complaint or support mechanisms. Participants also called for journalists to receive professional training, appropriate compensation and insurance, and for a legal assistance fund to be established.

Improving access to the Commission emerged as another important area of concern. Participants recommended making the Commission more accessible to journalists outside Karachi and establishing complaint cells at the district level. They also called for the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act to be translated into Sindhi and Urdu to make its provisions more accessible to journalists and other stakeholders across the province.

The consultation further identified a gap in the systematic collection of data on attacks against journalists and media practitioners. Participants were informed about mechanisms for reporting attacks and the importance of submitting complaints as soon as possible. The consultation also highlighted the value of increased reporting in strengthening the Commission’s capacity to respond to cases involving journalists’ safety.