Staff Reporter The safety and economic condition of journalists deteriorating globally but Pakistan is facing more problems due to lack of will and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) can raise these issues at international forums if asked by Pakistani journalists’ fraternity. Mr Jeremy Dear, the Deputy Secretary General of IFJ, expressed these views while addressing the “Meet the Editors” program on Tuesday at Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) Secretariat. He said there should be some regulations on mainstream media and as well as social media but those should be transparent and be monitored by autonomous bodies or self-regulated not by the regimes. Mr. Dear said that most of the advertisement s was being consumed by three international companies and resultantly print and electronic media had been facing economic crises globally. The media outlets should be more innovative by initiating new economic models for survival. “Pakistan has some good laws but lack of implementation is major obstacle and the issue of impunity prevails worldwide and, there should be consolidated efforts to mitigate state of impunity in Pakistan” he further added. While referring CPNE press freedom report 2019, IFJ representative said use of Anti-terror Laws against journalists in Pakistan was worrisome which needed to be addressed as it had been severely affecting freedom of expression in the whole. While responding to questions Mr Dear said how a profitable industry was unable to pay salaries to its staff and many people lost their jobs even at profit earning media outlets. Earlier Deputy Secretary General of CPNE Aamir Mehmood said there would be no compromise on freedom of expression and media as CPNE was committed to promote and defend media in the country.
