Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said that there is no democracy without freedom of expression.
Addressing an event organized by the Islamabad Journalist Safety Forum on the theme of the UN ten years Plan of Action, PM Shehbaz reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to supporting all efforts that promote and uphold the shining principles of freedom of expression and free media.
He said his government would be part of efforts aimed at making Pakistani democracy stronger through greater free media.
The government believes that no journalists should be called out or attacked for exercising their freedom of expression as guaranteed under the constitution of Pakistan, he maintained.
The Prime Minister applauded the efforts of the federal and Sindh government for becoming the first country in Asia to pass legislation on the Safety of Journalists at the federal and provincial levels in Sindh province.
On the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif, the Prime Minister said he has written a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute a commission to investigate the murder and hoped some action will be taken in this regard.
Earlier Today Supreme Court of Pakistan took Suo Moto notice of renowned journalist Arshad Sharif’s Murder in Kenya.
A five-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial conduct a hearing today. Notices were issued to the interior secretary, foreign affairs secretary, information and broadcasting secretary, Federal Investigation Agency director general (DG), Intelligence Bureau DG, and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president.
The apex court said the journalist community in the country and the public at large are deeply distressed and are concerned about the death of the senior journalist and are seeking the court’s scrutiny of the matter.
Read More : Supreme Court takes Suo Moto notice of Journalist Arshad Sharif’s Murder
