ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior, Rehman Malik on Tuesday said the government desires that journalists should express their opinion without fear as it would ensure their protection and continue to improve their working conditions.
He was addressing a two-day Conference: Media and Professionalism: Keeping Journalists and Journalism Safe in Hostile Environments which was organized here in collaboration with Intermedia Pakistan, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS).
The Minister assured best possible security for journalists and said Ministry of Interior would extend whatever support needed to ensure their protection.
He lauded media for highlighting the aspects of war against terrorism, bringing public awareness over the issue as such, and for playing its due part, amid odd situations.
"It is the top priority of the government to resolve the problems of the working journalists," he said, adding that the government exhibited exceptional respect for media freedom in plurality of views. "We have never believed in the culture of press advice, censorship and control of content or information and all of you are witness to the fact that the democratic government has never stifled media freedom," he asserted.
Rehman Malik said that the democratic government was providing maximum facilities to journalists especially, in the form of grants and financial assistance to press clubs and journalists.
He claimed that the government had made utmost efforts to provide security to the media persons and protect the lives of journalists and their families but in the wake of the acts of terrorism, there had been some unfortunate incidents. He assured that the government would not spare any culprit who was involved in the killing of media persons.
"We are committed to dispense justice to the journalists killed in the line of duty or got disabled," he added.
He also called for need of training to those journalists who perform their duties in conflict areas which would help them to protect and work in a better way. The capacity building of media was also on the agenda of the government and efforts were underway for training of journalists for reporting in the conflict zones. He recommended that only trained journalists should be sent to conflict zones for reporting.
The Minister also announced setting up a committee, comprising Secretary Interior, Home Secretaries of Provinces and three Journalists to probe the killing of those journalists who lost their lives in line of their duties. He said the committee would present its report within a month time.
Later, responding to questions, Rehman Malik said the government has done a job and discharged its responsibilities to bring those to book involved in assassination of Shaheed leader Benazir Bhutto.
Pakistan Peoples Party had lost its leader and it would leave no stone unturned to expose the faces of those who had conspired and assassinated Benazir Bhutto.
"The government has provided all details to courts about those who planned and made conspiracy in the assassination of Shaheed leader," he said, adding the identified accused involved in the assassination of Shaheed Leader have been arrested and are facing trial.
Some of the accused are proclaimed offenders while efforts are also being made to arrest some of them through Interpol, he added.
Rehman Malik said challan with strong evidence have already been submitted in the court and those who have any doubt can pursue the case and approach the court.
"Yes it took sometime and it was not easy to compile all the evidences, but we have done our job and discharge our responsibilities," he added.
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