ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is among a few countries considered dangerous for journalists where they are regularly targeted while performing their duties.

To help ensure the safety and security of journalists, PFUJ has created a journalist alert app. Mediapersons facing any safety issue can inform the journalist community and relevant institutions about it along with their location by pressing the panic button.

“Journalists will be able to get immediate help in emergency situations by registering themselves in the mobile app,” said PFUJ Secretary General Arshad Ansari while addressing a ceremony held on Saturday to launch the “Journalist Alert” app.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, in collaboration with the Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights and Media Matters for Democracy, has developed the mobile app through which any registered journalist will be able to understand the nature of the matter, including their location, by pressing the panic button regarding kidnapping, attack, torture, stalking or any uncertain situation. They will be able to get immediate help from their community and related institutions.

App will play an important role in helping journalists report incidents of violence against them, says president

A briefing was also organised for the media at the National Press Club.

Mr Ansari said journalists were facing a bad time in Pakistan.He said with the help of the app journalists will be able to inform about their emergency situation through the message service in addition to smart phones.He said for the first time all relevant records, including attacks and threats on the media across the country will be available at one click.

RIUJ President Tariq Virk said apart from compiling the record of crime against journalists across Pakistan, the mobile app will also play an important role in helping journalists report the incidents of violence against them.

Now journalists will be able to report violence against them and the journalist community will be able to play a better role in protecting its members.

National Press Club (NPC) President Azhar Jatoi said the NPC was the fortress of press freedom and will continue to play its role for press freedom and safety of journalists.

Shafiq Chaudhry, Executive Director Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights, said the launch of the app was an important event in the history of Pakistani journalism and a new era of press freedom will begin from today.

He said if journalists could perform their duties freely, journalism will be free in the country.

The mobile app designed to ensure the safety of journalists will be available in both Urdu and English languages from May 3.

Later, the app will also be available in Sindhi and Pashto languages.

Asad Baig, founder of Media Matter for Democracy, said the app will record all incidents against journalists and the reports will be available on its dashboard.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2025