KARACHI: The Sindh government believes in the freedom of press and due security and safety to media men, a spokesperson said on Friday.

Reacting to the contents of a report, titled “Journalism in the shadow of violence”, released by the Freedom Network at the Karachi Press Club a day earlier, the spokesperson said: “While we acknowledge the concerns raised, we believe the report’s findings and recommendations require a more practical approach”.

It recalled the promulgation of the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act, 2021, which linked the protection of journalists to the constitutional right of free speech, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The spokesman said that the report’s reliance on incident numbers alone doesn’t account for the province’s significant strides in combating impunity, adding that it “overlooked the complex interplay of factors contributing to journalist vulnerability”.

“Instead of solely blaming the government, we must address the industry’s structural issues, such as low wages and lack of digital skills, which exacerbate risks.”

The spokesperson supported the report’s recommendation for legal support and regional offices for the Sindh Commission for the Protection of Journalists and other Media Practitioners, and said it required a more comprehensive approach, involving all stakeholders, including media owners, journalists, and the government.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2024