ISLAMABAD: The government has constituted a 12-member Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals, mainly comprising journalists from across the country.

The notification issued by the information ministry states the independent commission will exercise powers and perform functions laid down in the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021, aimed at safeguarding the rights and safety of journalists.

The formation of the commission had been a longstanding demand of media workers.

The 12-member commission includes two ex-officio representatives from federal government.

The commission, which is represented by the three main factions of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), will have National Press Club Secretary Nayyer Ali, Ghulam Nabi Yousafzai, secretary of the Press Association of the Supreme Court and Naveed Akbar Chaudhary of the Parliamentary Report-ers Association of Pakistan as its members.

Also, PFUJ Barna President Afzal Butt, Hassan Abbas from PFUJ (Barna-Rana Azem gro­up), Nawaz Raza from PFUJ Dastoor, Tahir Has­san Khan from Kara­chi Union of Jour­nalists, Tam­sela Chishti from Punjab Union of Jour­nalists and Nadia Saboohi from Khy­ber Union of Journalists, and Khalil Ahmed from Balochistan Union of Jour­nalists will be part of the commission.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2025