On July 21, the Senate unanimously passed the Journalist Protection Amendment Bill during a session chaired by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani. The legislation introduces legal protections for journalists and their families, outlines penalties for acts of violence or coercion, and mandates the formation of an independent commission for journalist welfare.
The bill was presented by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla and defines freedom of expression as the right to broadcast and publish information.
Under the bill, violence against journalists during the performance of their professional duties will carry a punishment of up to seven years in prison and a fine of Rs300,000. Obstructing a journalist’s work will result in five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000.
Journalists will have the right to protect the confidentiality of their sources. Any attempt to compel a journalist to reveal their sources will be punishable by three years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000.
The bill also calls for the establishment of an independent Journalist Protection Commission. The commission will be chaired by a high court judge or a person eligible for that role with a minimum of 15 years’ experience in human rights or journalism. The chairperson and members will be appointed by the federal government for a non-renewable three-year term.
The commission will be responsible for ensuring the safety of journalists, their spouses, dependents, colleagues, close relatives, property, media organisations, and affiliated movements. It will also be authorised to file FIRs at police stations and request protection for complainants, including confidentiality of identity. SHOs will be required to register FIRs based on the commission’s complaints. Investigating officers will exercise powers granted in criminal proceedings.
The commission will not investigate intelligence agencies unless a clear human rights violation is established. In such cases, the complaint will be referred to the relevant authority.
Special session courts will be established to hear cases involving crimes against journalists. These courts will be formed by the federal government in consultation with provincial governments.
All members and staff of the commission will operate independently of government and administrative influence.
Separately, the Senate received a bill introduced by Senator Masroor Ahsan proposing that the minimum age for social media use be set at 16 years. The bill requires platforms to prevent access by users under this age. Failure to comply may result in fines ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs50 million.
Any adult found assisting a minor in creating a social media account may face six months’ imprisonment and the same range of fines. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be responsible for blocking underage accounts and preventing their creation.
