ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved two crucial bills for the protection of journalists and media workers and making the forced disappearances in the country a criminal offence.

“Today, the (federal) cabinet approved the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill and the Forced or Involuntary Disappearance (Criminal Law Amendment) Bill,” said federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari through her official account on social media website Twitter late on Thursday.

No details of the bills were provided by the minister.

Since no federal cabinet meeting was held on Thursday, the approval of the bills is understood to have been obtained through circular notification.

According to Dr Mazari, the bills will now be tabled before the National Assembly during its next session.

The minister in her tweet thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan over the approval of the bills, saying “the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) delivers on commitments”.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2021