MULTAN - Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) Chairman Justice (r) Shafqat Abbasi declared on Monday that coming polls would carry utmost importance for the country, asking Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take journalist bodies and PCP into confidence before releasing any code of conduct (CoC) for the media.
Addressing journalists here at Multan Press Club during a special sitting, he disclosed that the PCP would soon hold talks with the ECP secretary on this issue. He said that although the ECP had issued an eight-point code of ethics, it should take all stakeholders including journalist organisations on board before taking any initiative like this. He said that the ECP wanted media to give equal coverage to all political parties irrespective of their size. He told the journalists that he was going to hold meetings with the representatives of journalist organizations in Lahore and Islamabad on November 21 and 22 respectively besides a today's sitting in Karachi. "We'll discuss the code of ethics in these meetings," he added. He said that the role of Pakistani media was laudable and media would further be strengthened. Commenting on the role and responsibilities of media, he said that it was responsible for strengthening democracy and democratic institutions as well as to unearth wrong practices in the society. He said that the PCP was an institution for the journalists where anyone could submit any of his complaints about journalists. He said that the PCP remained dysfunctional in the past but now it had become active and it had the representation from APNS, CPNE, PFUJ and parliament.
Responding to a demand regarding the representation of the journalists from South Punjab and Journalist Trade Unions in the PCP, he agreed with the proposal and declared that this demand would be tabled in upcoming meeting of the council.
Earlier, addressing a seminar organised by Bahauddin Zakariya University Department of Communication Studies has said that media played key role in strengthening democracy in the country, expressing his hope that the journalists would uphold this tradition in future. He added that there was no need to evolve a new code of ethics for the media as media laws and ethics already existed in the country. "What we need is to understand the existing code and self define our limits," he added.
He said that the press must be free but it should also exhibit sense of responsibility. He added that it was not judiciary or press council that had to tell media representatives which news had to be published rather this issue was to be decided by the journalists themselves. He said that it was basic right of masses in the light of 1973 constitution to have access to information.
He stressed the need for appointment of professional editors in media outlets. He said that the media practitioners should dispel the impression that only negative news is a good new as positive elements can make very good news too. He assured the journalists of all out support on part of Press Council of Pakistan, asking them to prove through their work that they helped masses develop their opinion. He stressed upon different sections of society to send their proposals to the owners of media outlets so that the process of improvement takes place in media world.
Speaking on the occasion, BZU Vice Chancellor Dr Kh Alqama said that media played a very important role in democratic societies and therefore Pakistani media should exhibit a responsible behaviour for strengthening democracy. He added that literacy created the sense of responsibility and tolerance in an individual, asking the students not give up patience in any case and look for truth in light of teachings of Quran. Senior journalists Jabbar Mufti, Shaukat Ashfaq and Asad Mumtaz said that independence of media was subject to democracy and therefore the media must play a positive role for promoting a healthy democratic society. They regretted that the element of contemptuous criticism overwhelmed media and they became bulldog instead of watchdog. They also asked Press Council to take notice of problems being faced by the media and play an active role for their resolution. They called for establishment of journalism academies at federal and provincial levels for making young journalists aware of code of ethics. They said that the TV channels should give up the practice of flashing breaking news on their screens and instead ensure accuracy of information during their talk shows.
Chairman of the department Dr Muhammad Ashraf Khan also spoke on this occasion. Earlier, Justice (r) Shafqat Abbasi and the VC inked an MoU under which the varsity would help the Press Council in promulgating press laws.