President stresses measures to ensure safety, security of journalists

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has emphasised the need to initiate measures for the safety and security of the journalists enabling them to freely report on important issues, without fear.

“The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the freedom of the press; however, it is also the responsibility of the media to abide by journalistic ethics and report responsibly and accurately, keeping in view the national interest,” the president said in his message on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day.

President Zardari also stressed the need to provide an enabling environment free of intimidation or harassment to journalists so that they could freely express their opinions, the official news agency reported.

“Today, we also recognise the commendable role played by the media in promoting democratic values in the world, as well as raising awareness about issues of social and economic significance, especially climate change and global warming,” he said.

“I am hopeful that the media would continue to contribute constructively in raising awareness about issues of global concern. I am sure that media advocacy of these issues would spur international action to save our planet from the threat of climate change.”

President Zardari maintained that the World Press Freedom Day was commemorated every year on May 3 to affirm the commitment to cultivating an environment where “the media is independent and diverse and enjoys freedoms with responsibility as enshrined in our Constitution”.

He said the day “provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the state of press freedom in our country and make efforts to create a safe and conducive working environment for the journalists”.

“We believe that an independent press is essential for highlighting issues of global importance, dispelling fake news and myths, and serving as a watchdog for society. Media also has a crucial role in creating awareness about issues of global concern, including climate change, green technologies, pollution, and global warming,” he added.

The theme of this year’s World Press Freedom Day ‘A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the environmental crisis’, he said, underscored the importance of a free press in creating awareness and educating the people about climate change and its impacts on human life and the environment.

“We believe that the media can play its role in encouraging people to protect the environment by promoting forestation, adopting clean technologies, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting biodiversity to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on our ecosystem,” President Zardari said.

The theme, he said, also highlighted that a free and responsible press should act as a bulwark against misleading information about climate change.

The president also called upon the media to play its role in countering fake news and promoting moral and ethical values.