The Nation: Karachi: Tuesday,
March 18, 2014.
Pakistan
Press Foundation (PPF) has filed 60 Right to Information (RTI) requests to know
about the progress and status of the cases of journalists murdered across the
country in the line of duty during 2002-2013.
In a
statement issued today, Secretary General PPF, Owais Aslam Ali said that
Pakistan was amongst the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists
and violence against journalists in Pakistan goes unchecked because those who
are involved and who attack journalists enjoy complete impunity.
He said that
cases of journalists murders are not being properly investigated and
prosecuted, therefore to check the status of cases, police investigation report
of journalists murdered during 2002-2013 in all four provinces and FATA, we
have sent information requests to Interior Ministry Government of Pakistan and
Home departments of Sindh, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan
provinces.
According to
statistics, nine requests were sent to Interior Ministry under Freedom of
Information Ordinance-2002, fifteen requests to Home Department, Government of
Sindh under the Sindh Freedom of Information Act 2006, four requests to Home
Department, Government of Punjab under the Punjab Transparency and Right to
Information Act 2013, 14 requests to Home and Tribal Affairs Department,
Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to
Information Act 2013, and 18 requests were sent to Home and Tribal Affairs
Department, Government of Balochistan under the Balochistan Freedom of
Information Act 2005.
Owais Aslam
said that by getting the required data we can get the exact position of
journalists cases and then advocacy at the government level and journalists
associations will be conducted to raise voice against violence against
journalists and ensure freedom of press in Pakistan.
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