KARACHI: The Sindh government on Wednesday announced formation of a 14-member commission for protection of journalists and media practitioners.

Information Secretary Abdul Rasheed Solangi briefed the provincial cabinet about the commission and said Sindh was the only province where protection had been given to media persons.

“The commission will promote, protect and effectively ensure the independence, impartiality, safety and freedom of expression of journalists and other media practitioners,” he said.

Later, Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told reporters that the Sindh Protection of Journalists and other Media Practitioners Act, 2021 was enacted by the Sindh Assembly and its rules had also been notified.

He said the 14-member commission would be headed by retired Justice Rasheed Razvi as its chairperson with four non-ex-officio members, including information secretary, home secretary and law secretary, and nine non-official members — Fahim Siddiqui of Karachi Union of Journalists, Kazi Asad of All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Dr Jabbar Khatak of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Athar Kazi of Pakistan Broadcasters Association, Ayaz Tunio of Sindh Bar Council, Prof Tauseef Khan from Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, MPAs Shazia Umar and Syeda Marvi and Ghulam Fariduddin of the All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (Apnec).

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2022