Pakistan Press Foundation encouraged journalists to fully utilise the resources available to ensure their safety and protection under the laws.
This statement was originally published on pakistanpressfoundation.org on 15 April 2025.
The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) has released guidelines to assist journalists and media professionals in filing complaints under the federal Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021, and the provincial Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act 2021. These guidelines are designed to provide media professionals across Pakistan with the necessary tools to protect their rights and seek justice under the existing legal framework.
The guidelines were developed as part of the PPF’s Media Safety Laws Help Desk to support journalists facing threats, harassment, or violence using the media safety laws. Since June 2024, in instances of attacks on journalists, the Help Desk has guided journalists and media professionals to provide them guidance. If you are a journalist who has faced any attack or threats of attacks, you can contact the PPF’s Media Safety Laws Help Desk at 0332-883-4088 for additional assistance.
The guidelines are available in Urdu and English to ensure that these resources are accessible to all journalists.
- Federal Media Safety Law Guidelines (English): https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Federal-Media-Safety-Law-Guidelines-English-.docx.pdf
- Federal Media Safety Law Guidelines (Urdu): https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Federal-Media-Safety-Law-Guidelines-Urdu.docx.pdf
- Sindh Media Safety Law Guidelines (English): https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Guidelines-to-file-a-complaint-Sindh-English-.docx.pdf
- Sindh Media Safety Law Guidelines (Urdu): https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Guidelines-to-file-a-complaint-Sindh-Urdu-.docx.pdf
A video tutorial has been prepared to help journalists understand the process of filing complaints under the Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act, 2021. This visual guide explains the steps involved in submitting a complaint and provides clear instructions to ensure that journalists can navigate the process effectively.
- Watch a Video Tutorial on how to file a complaint with the Sindh Commission: https://youtu.be/gZcHMjX9G9M
PPF encourages journalists and media professionals to familiarize themselves with the guidelines and fully utilize the resources available to ensure their safety and protection under the laws.
About the Media Safety Laws in Pakistan
In 2021, Pakistan enacted two landmark laws focusing on safeguarding the well-being of journalists. The Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Act, 2021, was passed by the Sindh Assembly on May 28, 2021, making it the first provincial law of its kind in Pakistan. Shortly after, the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021, was passed by the National Assembly on November 8, 2021, marking the first federal-level law specifically aimed at ensuring the safety of journalists across the country.
Both laws are designed to offer legal recourse for journalists who come under attack and address the impunity that often surrounds crimes against the media.
They mandate the formation of commissions responsible for investigating and responding to attacks on journalists. While the Sindh Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners was successfully formed on November 17, 2022, the Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (CPJMP) at the federal level has yet to be established, despite over three years after the law’s passage.
These two laws provide journalists a path for submitting complaints and seeking legal protection against threats, violence, or harassment.
