Dawn calls for action to end impunity against journalists

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last year |  JP Staff Report

ISLAMABAD–On Saturday, Pakistan's Daily Dawn highlighted the growing dangers faced by journalists, particularly in areas plagued by conflict, and called on the state to protect them by ensuring that crimes against media professionals do not go unpunished. In an editorial published on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the newspaper stressed the urgent need to protect journalists and hold perpetrators accountable.

The editorial cited recent attacks, particularly in Gaza, where conflict has claimed the lives of 134 journalists since hostilities intensified last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Pakistan's press also operates under significant threat, with over 150 journalists killed in the last 24 years.

Acknowledging the critical need for protection, Dawn highlighted the grim statistic from Pakistan, where six journalists were killed in less than a year, from November 2023 to August 2024. The editorial expressed regret that a "culture of impunity"” persists, exposing journalists to continuous risks without accountability for crimes committed against them.

A report by the Freedom Network, cited in Dawn's editorial, revealed that nearly half of reported violations against journalists were attributed to government authorities, with political parties involved in 12 percent of cases. "Unknown actors" were responsible for 25 percent, underscoring the difficulty in addressing these crimes.

To combat impunity, Dawn emphasized the need for rigorous enforcement of the 2021 Journalist Protection Act and for thorough investigations into attacks on journalists. The newspaper stressed that accountability is essential to dismantle the existing culture of impunity, which continues to pose an existential threat to journalists in Pakistan and beyond.