ISLAMABAD – Peace & Justice Network (PJN) and Parliamentary Human Rights Commission (PCHR) in collaboration with UNESCO organized a two-day National Technical Capacity Building Training Workshop on Streamlining and Mainstreaming data on crime against journalists in Pakistan on 27 and 28 April 2022 in Islamabad.
This workshop was held with protective government institutions, departments responsible for human rights and SDG reporting, law enforcement and crime reporting agencies and human rights commissions. to further strengthen the institutionalization of reporting on crimes against journalists by improving national data collection mechanisms and strengthening the government’s capacity to meet its international reporting obligations, such as the SDGs Voluntary National VNR reporting at the next UN HLPF, the response of UNESCO Member States, UPR and other international obligations on issues related to the safety of journalists.
The Executive Director of the Committee of Parliamentarians, Shafique Chaudhry, in his opening remarks, underscored the importance of freedom of speech and freedom of the press in light of the Constitution of Pakistan, saying that freedom of the press is directly linked and dependent on the safety of journalists. Freedom of expression is the touchstone of all other human rights and reinforces the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals. Freedom of expression and the free flow of information are the foundations of public debate and democracy that help ensure a balanced, robust and gender-sensitive media environment.
Syed Raza Ali Naqvi, Executive Director of the Peace & Justice Network, also gave a presentation on the importance of important data on crimes against journalists and how this data should be collected and retained by the state and all other stakeholders so that informed policy debate can be generated and enhanced. response can be assured. He further shared highlights and milestones since the launch of the program in 2019, including the first national report on crimes against journalists produced in 2021 by the National Police Bureau after the development of a reporting in federal and provincial police departments, passage of Journalist Rights Protection Act passed in 2021 by National Assembly and Assembly of Sindh and its main features, current data collection process on SDG 16.10 .1 crime against journalists for the SDGs Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High Level Political Forum and launch of a national initiative to establish a coordination mechanism between relevant ministries and establish focal points for the collection of data from federal and provincial police departments as well as its use of reporting and monitoring tools to improve the re accountability.
Technical expert Adnan Rehmat, journalist and media analyst, guided the participants on the importance of data and data collection methodologies by emphasizing that data converts opinions into facts and that facts help find real solutions. . He also presented data collected by civil society on crime against journalists and showed the number of victims across the country. He also highlighted the need to streamline data which can play a vital role in policy-making and legislation.
Urooj Raza Sayyami, another journalist and expert, explained in her presentation how Islamabad has the highest number of violations against journalists and Sindh is the second largest province where crime against journalists is high according to media reports. She shared that there is a need for credible data from state institutions on crimes against journalists as well as a need for an effective response strategy.
In addition, focal points from government organizations have focused on building institutional capacity to streamline and incorporate data on crimes against journalists for informed and evidence-based policy discourse purposes. They also expressed their determination to focus on understanding the importance and meaning of data on crimes against journalists, the current data collection process, its challenges and the roles/responsibilities of different institutions. A representative of Bar Council Judge Hassan Raza Pasha ASC also highlighted the need to fix the criminal justice response and the need to build the capacity of prosecutors and judges. A representative of the Ministry of Information, Mr. Abdul Akbar Khan, also briefed the participants on the important steps the ministry has taken for the protection and welfare of journalists. Further, he shared that the Commission under the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021 is also in its final phase which the Ministry of Human Rights is working on.
The guest of honor of the two-day workshop, former IG Islamabad, Hon. Mr. Amir Zulfiqar, shared the importance of the role of the police in collecting data on crimes against journalists and its investigative process. He also shared that he was really happy to see the progress made since the start of the program in 2020, when Islamabad Police became the first police institution to launch crimes against journalists. He also highlighted the important role of heads of protection institutions, parliamentarians and policy makers in using this information for effective response and legislative and policy reforms. He also highlighted the need for proper analysis of case data to bifurcate incidents from personal incidents to incidents in the line of duty.
The keynote speaker, former IG Motorway & Highway Police, Hon. Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, highlighted the need to understand the risk to which journalists and media workers carry out their duties. The Ministry of Information and the Department of Press Information have a very important role to play in strengthening the journalistic profession and there is a need for proper data management for rapid authentication and response. He also mentioned the need to create official national committees to address violations and crimes against journalists.

Reporting to the UN by the Government of Pakistan on crimes against journalists is a first step towards ensuring freedom of expression and the safety of journalists