KARACHI: The Sindh Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners today expressed serious concern over the non-submission of a police report into the murder of journalist Tufail Rind, demanding the immediate arrest of the culprits and a detailed report on the case.
The demand was made during a meeting chaired by Aijaz Ahmed Memon, where the panel reviewed recent incidents involving media professionals. While the commission expressed satisfaction with police reports submitted for Karachi-based journalists Khawar Hussain and Imtiaz Mir, Khairpur-based reporter Allah Dino alias A.D. Shar, and press club photographer Sabir Hussain, the lack of progress in the Tufail Rind case was a point of major contention.
Chairman Memon also informed the meeting that directives have been issued to all media houses in Sindh to ensure mandatory safety training and life insurance for their employees. He noted, however, a disappointing lack of cooperation from media organizations, which have also been instructed to provide complete data on their journalists to aid in evidence-based policymaking.
The chairman added that media owners are bound to adhere to the provincial government’s minimum wage policy. In response to the inadequate compliance, the commission resolved to approach representative bodies such as the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) to help enforce laws on life insurance, safety, and wages, stressing that these organizations must fully support the effort.
Furthermore, the commission was briefed on proposed amendments to its governing law, which have been forwarded to the Information Department. Key changes include granting the body disciplinary powers for non-compliance with its directives, the inclusion of two women members, adding a representative from the Association of Electronic Media News Editors and Directors (AEMEND), and extending the tenure of non-official members from one to three years.
The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Home Ms. Shabana Kausar, Additional Secretary Law Mr. Riaz Ahmed, Director General Public Relations Dr. Mueezuddin Peerzada, Dr. Jabbar Khattak (CPNE), Mr. Mazhar Abbas (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), Dr. Tauseef Ahmed Khan (Sindh Human Rights Commission), Mr. Kazi Asad Abid (APNS), Mr. Obaidullah (All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation), and Commission Secretary Mr. Saeed Memon.
