ISLAMABAD, July 9: The Jamaat-i-Islami has submitted a private members’ bill to the Senate Secretariat for protection and welfare of working journalists that seeks too much from the government and absolves media organisations from their responsibilities.

The eight-page “Journalists’ Protection and Welfare Bill, 2011”, submitted by Senators Prof Khurshid Ahmad, Prof Mohammad Ibrahim and Afia Zia, has suggested special safety measures, provision of special loans, establishment of a social security fund and setting up of a journalists’ council.

The senators held a news conference at JI’s office here on Saturday to brief the journalists about salient features of the bill and distributed its copies among them.

The bill suggests journalists shall not be compelled to disclose their sources and “if circumstances occur and matters of national security importance are involved where disclosure of a source is demanded, the Supreme Court has the right to ask about the source but it would not make it public”.

It says the federal government shall make plans to construct houses for journalists all over the country. Until these facilities are provided, the government shall release interest-free loans for journalists on easy instalment basis for the purchase or construction of their houses.

It says the journalists reporting as a beat reporter in any government department shall be assisted with transport facility, including providing concessions to them while performing their duties. “The federal government shall formally announce provision of special fares in Pakistan Railways, PIA, and intercity transport for journalists,” it says.

Moreover, the bill says that the federal government shall not charge any parking fee for transport from the journalists in any place in Pakistan.

“In case of national calamity, eruption of fire, accidents or natural disasters, the federal government shall provide special jackets and all other allied facilities such as water, food and fuel to journalists during coverage, especially emergency situations.”

Through the bill, the JI wants the government to “provide free education at all levels to the children of journalists and shall be encouraged for scholarships for higher studies”.

The bill says the government shall provide on-spot and on-demand protection facility to the journalists. In case a journalist feels threatened and needs protection in residing or any other area, the station house officer (SHO) of the area where the journalist resides or any other area, shall provide the required protection and security, adding the SHO shall be held responsible for any harm to the journalist in case an incident occurs despite prior information of the presence of the journalist in his area. It proposes a social security fund for journalists and in case of sudden death, the spouse, children and other dependants shall get benefit from it, as well as assistance with free education, including scholarships, and marriage assistance.

“If a journalist loses life during performance of duties, or is injured, his or her family shall be compensated with at least Rs3 million in case of death, Rs1 million in case of a major injury and Rs500,000 in case of minor injury and the treatment cost would be borne by the government.”

The bill demands that a ‘National Journalists Council’ should be constituted to give proposals to the government for the protection of journalists, introduce mechanisms to solve the problems of journalists, ensure prompt action on the complaints and problems of the journalists and mediate cases pertaining to payment of wages and other fringe benefits between owners of media groups and employees.

The council should have representation from the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation, All Pakistan Newspapers Society, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors and Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Interior and at least one independent media development organisation.