Hamdard urges media to design code of conduct
KARACHI: Shura Hamdard Karachi chapter has urged the electronic media to design a code of conduct on its own and implement it accordingly, said a release issued here on Friday. The Shura meeting was held on the theme ‘Media’s role in reconstruction of Pakistan’ and presided over by Haziqul Khairi, former Chief Justice, and Federal Sharia Court.
Speaking on the occasion, Haq Nawaz Akhtar, ex-Chairman, Pakistan Steel Mills said that media was supposed to give correct information rather that misleading the nation and instead of educating people, showing historical facts in a distorted form. No consideration and importance is being given to Islamic values and Pakistani culture in entertainment programmes, he added.
He said that General Ayub introduced a television channels for the first time in Pakistan while General Musharraf promoted them to a great extent. “But both used them as a propaganda machine,” he added. There was a secret fund in Information Ministry, being used to buy the pens of journalists, he said, adding that there were no such ministries in civilised countries. Media should avoid sensationalism and showing Indian culture while being restrained to Pakistani culture, he maintained.
Justice (R) Haziqul Khairi pointed point that TV channels were showing such horrible scenes and shocking pictures of crimes with terrified children that some people had become mental patients.
Prof Mohammed Rafi said that land and authority were needed to act upon one’s own values and that’s why Pakistan was achieved to act on Islamic values. This fact should be assimilated in the minds of young generation by the media and educational institutions as well, he asserted. Sadeed Anwar Malik, while supporting media, said that the media was bound to show what public wanted to see because a shopkeeper could sell things that customers want. However, media should frame a code of conduct in the best interest of the nation and the country, he added.
Naushaba Khalil in her remarks said that 50% time of a viewer is spent in watching advertisements as all programmes of TV channels were filled in with advertisements and lack of any good lesson and counsel for youth.
Shamim Kazmi in her comments on the topic said that nobody could deny the role channels were playing in our society. They were informing us about what was happening in the country and providing entertainment for the people who were tensed and under pressure due to prevailing bad circumstances in the country. However, they should also adopt the role of educator and guide, she added.
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