Journalists condemn Zaid Hamid’s allegations against SAFMA
LAHORE: Leading media professionals, executive bodies of the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), South Asia Media Commission (SAMC), South Asian Women in Media (SAWM), editors and press club representatives across the country condemned the accusations that Zaid Hamid was levelling through social networking sites against the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a mainstream media body associated with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
In a joint statement, leading media personalities took serious exception to what they called the unfounded and shameful accusations hurled through a social networking website by an irresponsible person violating all ethics and norms against a media body of most credible journalists of the South Asian region.
“Such unfounded allegations and defaming views on a social networking site are aimed at inciting public sentiments against SAFMA and its thousands of members and malign a media body and its leaders that are widely respected in the region for their professional standing and commitment to peace and progress of the people of South Asia,” they said.
The media representatives expressed their serious concern over the slander indicative of the dangerous trend in the cyber world of maligning various personalities and credible organisations. “What is quite despicable is that Zaid Hamid’s accusations have no basis whatsoever,” they added.
Appreciating SAFMA’s remarkable role in defence of right-to-know, freedom of expression, press freedom, rights of journalists, media development, peace and regional cooperation, the media representatives resolved to frustrate the designs of fascist elements and their authoritarian patrons against independent media persons and organisations. They endorsed the SAFMA defamation case filed against Hamid and others.
The media personalities who condemned the propaganda against SAFMA include Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Director and senior journalist IA Rehman, Express Tribune Executive Editor M Ziauddin, Awam Editor Nazir Leghari, senior journalist Hussain Naqi, Express Tribune City Editor Ata-ul-Musawwir, CPNE General Secretary Aamer Mehmood, Balochistan Times Editor Siddique Baloch, PFUJ Vice President Tariq Chaudhary, National Press Club Islamabad President Farooq Faisal, Daily Awaz Editor Khalid Farooqi, Daily Express Editorial Editor Ayaz Khan, senior journalist Shahzada Zulfiqar, Aaj TV Anchorperson Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA Pakistan General Secretary Sirmed Manzoor, Geo News Director Agha Nasir, Geo News Anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmed, columnist Babar Ayaz, Peshawar Press Club President Shamim Shahid, Quetta Press Club President Saleem Shahid, Awami Awaz Editor Dr Jabbar Khattak, columnist Ghazi Salahuddin, CNBC anchorperson Mujahid Barelvi, columnist Irfana Mallah, Turbat Press Club President Jehangeer Aslam, senior journalist GN Mughal, Editor Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Mashriq Quetta and Lahore Editor Syed Mumtaz Shah, Sukkar Press Club President Lala Asad, Editor Khalid Khokhar, Sindh TV anchorperson Fayyaz Naich, columnist Amer Sindhu, Jang Group senior journalist Anjum Rasheed, Aaj Kal former editor Khalid Chaudhry, Naya Zamana Editor Shoaib Adil, Business Recorder Resident Editor Saida Fazal, columnist Munnoo Bhai, senior journalist Ibrahim Shirwani, SAMAA TV anchor Asma Shirazi, columnist Afzal Khan, Dateline Islamabad Editor Mustansar Javed, Pakistan Today Islamabad Resident Editor Rana Qaisar, PFUJ former secretary general Shamsul Islam Naz, Jinnah Editor Khushnood Ali Khan, Daily Times Op-ed Editor Mehmal Sarfaraz, editor and columnist Khaled Ahmed, Waqt columnist Allama Siddiq Azhar, South Asian Journal Editor Imtiaz Alam, Farah Warraich, Farah Zia, Ayaz Amir, Saleem Shahid, Shahzada Zulfiqar, Dr Karim Rajpar, Amn Editor Hamid Hussain Abidi, Herald Editor Badar Alam, Karachi Press Club President Tahir Hasan Khan, Newsline Editor Iqbal Mallah, Rehana Hakim, South Asia Media Net Editor Waqar Mustafa, South Asia Media Monitor Executive Editor Sadaf Arshad.
Source: Daily Times
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