ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said media
is undoubtedly playing a significant role in the current challenging
scenario specifically in the fight against terrorism.
He said
this while addressing concluding Session of SAFMA’s conference on
“Attacks on Journalists and Freedom of Media. He went on to say media
is also supporting the democratic government’s efforts to curb the
menace of terrorism, which has emerged as the single most taxing
challenge for the country. The presence of an independent, progressive,
robust and vibrant media has added a positive dimension to the national
pride, by keeping open a window of hope and optimism.
He
underlined Pakistani media enjoys unprecedented freedom. All the
draconian Laws of the dictator, which curtailed media freedom, were
repealed by the government as per the commitment he had made on the
Floor of the House.
He held "we have never believed in the
culture of press advice, censorship and control of content or
information and democratic government has never stifled media freedom.
No journalist, poet or writer has been put behind bars for opposing the
government’s policies nor have any restrictions been imposed on TV
channels or newspapers. Another achievement of the democratic government
is that the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP), established under a law in
2002, is now complete and has become a functional body, he added.
The
democratic Government is providing maximum facilities to journalists
especially, in the form of Grants in aid & financial assistance to
press clubs and journalists, he remarked. Journalists have sacrificed
their lives in their line of duty and Government of Pakistan fully
realizes its responsibility towards their families, he underscored.
“Institutional
mechanism for the protection of journalists against violence and
threats is being devised. On oath taking ceremony of office bearers of
National Press Club, Islamabad, I announced the establishment of
Endowment Fund of Rs. 200 Million for the welfare of journalists and the
affected families of journalists who had lost their lives in the line
of duty”, he held.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
has finalized regulation to operate this Fund by taking all stakeholders
on board. There is also a proposal for the establishment of the
Endowment Fund for journalists under the guardianship of South Asia Free
Media Association.
Journalist Saleem Shehzad was brutally
murdered; the government established Judicial Commission to investigate
the murder. This Commission is working with full facilitation from the
government. The findings are still awaited. I can assure you that all
necessary measures will be taken to implement the recommendations of the
Commission, he held.
Let me assure you that we will not spare
any culprit who is involved in the killing of media persons. We are
committed to dispense justice to the journalists killed in the line of
duty or got disabled, he observed. He told the upcoming Media University
project of the Ministry envisages education and training programs for
journalists in various specialized fields of media to bring them at par
with International media.
He observed media has, undoubtedly,
emerged as the most significant element of our national scene as an
element of national power and has moved close to the heartbeat of the
nation. It must now realize its responsibilities towards its people and
the state, he stressed. He maintained media exerts a very strong
persuasive power.
Media has the responsibility to dispel the
false and misleading impressions existing in the world about our
country, clear the wrong perceptions and supplement the government’s
efforts in creating a better image of the country Media Code of Ethics
should be observed by the journalists in the reporting of conflict &
terror incidents. Media should raise professional standards, observe
media ethics and agree to a framework, which should be evolved through
consensus among all relevant media organizations. Online
