Media can play vital role in promoting peace: speakers: Pakistan-Afghanistan ties | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Media can play vital role in promoting peace: speakers: Pakistan-Afghanistan ties

ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Speakers at a workshop here on Tuesday emphasized the role of journalists in promoting understanding and peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The workshop of mediapersons from the two countries was part of the ongoing exchange programme, organized by Future Youth Group (FYG) of the Liberal Forum Pakistan in collaboration with Friedrich Nauman Stiftung (FNS), a German foundation. The first phase of the programme has already been completed.

Six journalists from each country attended the workshop, presided over by Beena Qayyum, President of the FYG. Explaining the objectives of the programme, Peter-Andreas Bochmann, resident representative of the FNS in Pakistan, said individual freedom was attached with responsibilities.

Free press is an essential element of a free society. In Pakistan, he said contrary to the general impression the press was free to criticize and report events. But as problems did not stop at borders, mediapersons had an important role to play in promoting and nurturing understanding between the neighbours, he added.

Bari Salam of Good Morning Afghanistan Radio of Kabul presented his impressions about Pakistani journalism. Imtiaz Gul and Zafarullah, a former journalist, reviewed the coverage by Pakistani media of the situation in Afghanistan.

It was emphasised that journalists were far from being free in their presentations and analyses because they were the employees of some newspapers/electronic media organizations. The challenge before them was to develop mutual understanding and ways to nurture peace and understanding among the peoples of the two countries.

If some analyses did not fulfil the standard of objectivity, it might be because some of the major newspaper groups considered the toast buttered by the establishment. The attitude of a section of the Urdu press came under special focus.

It was also pointed out that while Afghans had certain sound reasons for harbouring bitterness about the policies of the ruling establishment both at the national and international levels, the fact was that the people of Pakistan had been the victim of the super-power’s policies and actions in Afghanistan.

That super power became a party to thwarting of democratisation in Pakistan and persistently supported military regimes in pursuit of its own interests in the region.

Source: Dawn
Date:11/19/2003