• November 14, 2011
• Training and Capacity Building
• Web Desk

Date:
March 6-8, 2007
Location:
Gharo, District Thatta

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) organized a three-day training workshop on “Media and Democratic Governance” at Press Club Gharo, from March 6 to 8, 2007. It was aimed at training journalists about reporting during elections.

There were twenty participants present out of which two were female journalists.

The objectives of the workshop were:

1. To develop the capacity of journalists in covering democratic process in the country
2. To develop the capacity and skill of the journalists in covering election processes in the country.

To provide awareness amongst journalists in monitoring the forthcoming general elections as well as to establish co-operation between media and election staff, the workshop participants suggested holding training programs for journalists in small towns and rural areas. They said due to lack of facilities and pressures of feudal system, rural journalists faced numerous difficulties.

They said the government ignored rural journalists, and their voice was seldom heard. They said rural journalists should be assisted financially, as their organization did not suffice them to earn a decent wage. They said rural journalists should be given representation in local and foreign tours as well to provide them exposure to deal with local and international issues.

They suggested the local and provincial government should help in construction of press clubs in rural areas. They said these press clubs should be equipped with all basic facilities to facilitate journalists in discharging their professional responsibilities. They said with the government’s assistance, ‘yellow journalism’ could be routed.

During the group work session, participants were divided in three segments to discuss potential local, national and international issues during coming elections. They focused on various international, national and local issues.

Muhammad Ayub said international terrorism, failure of United Nations, the influence of superpowers over Pakistan, and failure of OIC could be dealt with as main international issues.
Faiz Sindh said lack of ownership of provinces over local resources, provincial autonomy, freedom of expression, and inadequate democratic process were the main national problems presently faced by the country.

He said the present assemblies were completing their full tenure for the first time in the history of Pakistan. He said dominance of the big province over the smaller ones, unjust distribution of water amongst provinces, the rural-urban gap, a large cabinet, wastage of precious national resources, violation of human rights, price hike, interference of agencies in politics, negligence from the part of the opposition, absence of check and balance, bribery and corruption, and lack of transparency in elections were also some of the major issues faced

by the citizens.

Ghulam Qadir said scarcity of drinking water in both rural and urban areas, lack of electricity in costal villages and fishermen’s localities at Keti Bandar, Kharo Chan, Ghorabari and other areas, improper road network, poor means of transportation, week educational system, price hike, interference of army in politics, non-functioning drainage system, growing joblessness, interest-based lending system, bribery and corruption and hindrances in uplift projects were major local issues.

PPF Chairman Fazal Qureshi, in his lecture, said the workload and problems of journalists rise during election days. He said media should be discharged of their duties so that voters can use their right of franchise freely. He said media could play a vital role in ending the menace of false votes by keeping a check on voter lists to note any omission and commission.

He said prior preparation for coverage of elections was vital. He said if journalists went to the field unprepared for covering elections, they would face trouble. He advised journalists to focus on important issues regarding polls through feature writing.

Abdul Wahid Durrani said the voter lists were the main cause of polls rigging. He said false votes of women could also be cast during polls. He said transportation of voters to polling stations was a hurdle.

Saiful Malook Shah said the polling stations that were set up in the rural areas on ‘political basis’ and the polling staff posted there did not perform their duties properly.

Rahim Bukhari said politicians use polling stations of their areas to commit polls rigging. He said votes were not only obtained on the basis of cast and creed, but also through pressure on voters who emerged from the rural areas. He said often candidates obtained national identity cards from voters to cast their votes.

Faiz Sindhi said poll rigging began with formation of voter lists, with names of voters missing them. He said Nazims seldom put voter lists on display in union council offices. He said impounding of vehicles by administration during election days was a major issue that required looking into.

When the participants were asked how a proper coverage of elections could be ensured, they unanimously replied that journalists should maintain a close vigil on every on going activity of election. They said the journalists should also file factual and correct stories of elections in their newspapers, keeping in mind editorial policies of their organizations.

Tehsil Nazim Mirpur, Sakiro Abdul Ghani Baghiyar, was the chief guest of the concluding session. He said journalists play a important role in elections. He said a journalist should not be inclined towards any political party and be impartial and objective to highlight fair aspects of polls.

Later, the chief guest distributed certificates amongst workshop participants.