Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that there is no democracy without freedom of expression.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed the government’s resolute commitment to supporting all initiatives that promote and uphold the shining principles of freedom of expression and free media. The event was hosted by the Islamabad Journalist Safety Forum and focused on the UN’s ten-year Plan of Action.
He said that his government would assist in initiatives to strengthen Pakistan’s democracy by strengthening the country’s free media.
The government believes that no journalists should be called out or attacked for exercising their freedom of expression as guaranteed under the constitution of Pakistan, he maintained.
The Prime Minister applauded the efforts of the federal and Sindh governments for making Sindh province the first nation in Asia to pass federal and provincial legislation on the safety of journalists.
On the murder of senior journalist Arshad Sharif, the Prime Minister said he has written a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to constitute a commission to investigate the murder and hoped some action will be taken in this regard.
