Senate sub committee recommends constituting “Journalist Defence Fund”

Islamabad,:The Sub committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights has recommended to constitute Journalist Defence Fund to help provide security to the working journalists who have become victims of violence, and terrorism.
The meeting of the Sub committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights was held here at Parliament House on Tuesday and chaired by Senator Mushahid Hussain
The sub committee in its meeting recommended to restore the ministry of Human Rights as a full-fledged independent Ministry, constitute Journalist Defence Fund to help journalist victims of violence, and

terrorism, creating a Ministry of Disaster
Management given the high number of IDPs due to natural and man-made
disasters, and to declare the subject of Human Rights as compulsory in all
the training centers of Law enforcement Agencies including police, armed
forces, intelligence and civil administration.
The Sub-committee has been tasked to summarize the Human Rights commission of Pakistan’s report 2012-13. It will finalize its recommendations and report within one month, by the first month of August. *
Former Secretary Human Rights Shaigan Shah and human rights activist Naseem Azhar agreed with the proposals of the Sub-committee. *
Senator Mushaid Hussain Sayed proposed that the establishment of “Journalist Defence Fund” is need of the hour to provide security to the working journalists.Life, Health & Accident Insurance policies be initiated for the Journalists,Senator Mushahid added.
He further said that creation of a separate ministry of disaster management would provide security and relief to the people displaced due to some reasons. The Sub-committee also called for strict ban on the sale of spurious drugs, which were life-threatening, and the Drug Regulatory Authority must be strengthened, Mushahid Hussain observed.*
The Committee  also proposed for creation of a post of Director General Human Rights in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for better coordination as human rights issue were pivotal for Pakistan's foreign policy,
international image and interests of the people who suffered from abuses and violations of their rights. Human rights must be given the priority they deserve, he added. (Monitoring Desk)