ISLAMABAD - Taking full advantage of the unprecedented boom that media enjoys in the contemporary era, some elements are misusing its name in the garb of journalists. TheNation has witnessed that several people who are not even associated with media are using its name in order to influence certain circles to secure their interests and to show their prominence, thus giving a bad name to journalists community. Some people who identify themselves as journalists associated with various newspapers and TV channels, get unfair advantage from the quarters concerned. It is also witnessed that such elements often refer to their close relations with prominent journalists and carry fake 'press number plates on their vehicles, motorbikes and use fake job cards. Cases have been reported that certain people approached government officials and introduced themselves as correspondents of hoax dailies that never even existed. A few days back, someone approached this correspondent and introduced himself as 'bureau chief of a newspaper 'Junbush. Later, it was revealed that there wasnt any such newspaper and the said person was merely trying to 'throw an impact by trying to show himself as a senior journalist. Likewise, countless examples can be given related to hoax chief editors, executive editors, bureau chiefs and special correspondents of some 'ghost dailies. This correspondent talked to some senior journalists and SSP Traffic Islamabad to receive their comments in this regard Pervaiz Shaukat, President, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said that journalism was a noble profession and its misuse for parochial interests was an unethical and abhorable exercise. He said some elements in printing press and advertising agencies are allegedly misusing the name of press. Its a bitter reality that some elements are involved in this activity. On behalf of PFUJ, I appeal to IGP, Interior Secretary and PM to address this issue, he added. The President, PFUJ suggested that a coordination committee between PFUJ and local administration could help solve the problem. A coordination committee must be formed with the authority to issue permission stickers to the real journalists, only then should they be allowed to use press name plates, he added. Senior Staff Reporter, TheNation, Abrar Saeed said that the Rawalpindi Press Club had actively started a campaign to abolish the said practice, back in 1997. We had urged the journalist bodies to coordinate with the local police to eradicate this practice through the platform of Rawalpindi Press Club, he suggested. SSP Traffic, Sultan Azam Temuri opined that the journalist community should act as role model for the society. Journalists are very respectable people, such activities like influencing others by using press as a tool must be given up.