ISLAMABAD – Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) and Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to help protect rights of the media and working journalists, especially in security sensitive areas.
A PCP press release issued here said that press as well as legal fraternity of Pakistan had played a vital role in upholding true values of democracy for the rule of law and citizens’ right of expression granted under the Constitution.
Whereas Pakistan Bar Council under its mandate is to provide legal aid in terms of sub-section 1(la) of section 13 of Legal Petitioners and Bar Council Act, 1973 while Press Council of Pakistan is bound to act as a shield to protect freedom of expression and finds it imperative to defend freedom of press from any interference from any quarter in terms of sub-section (2) of section 8 of the PCP Ordinance, 2002.
Both the apex bodies i.e. Pakistan Bar Council and Press Council of Pakistan have vowed to work together as strategic partners to provide legal aid to media persons at all levels.
In this regards, Raja M Shafqat Khan Abbasi, Chairman (PCP) and Akhtar Hussain, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council have signed a MoU which covers the following salient features:
Pakistan Bar Council and Press Council of Pakistan have agreed to become strategic partners to collaborate in providing legal aid to the press and media persons who fell victim to attack/harassment or murder while during their professional work.
The scope of collaboration shall include at all levels throughout Pakistan.
Pakistan Bar Council and Press Council of Pakistan shall support and strengthen each other’s ongoing initiatives in this regard.
Pakistan Bar Council and Press Council of Pakistan shall jointly develop new concepts and ideas to protect rights of the media and working journalists in any part of the country.
Both the PBC and PCP shall form a working group to review progress on quarterly basis and explore new areas to promote ethical journalism and safe environment for the media persons in the country.
Both the bodies will support each other in case of any attack or assault on the freedom of press.
Both the sides agree to make short, medium and long terms arrangements to meet the stipulated objectives within ambits of their working charters.