Peshawar     -    A code of conduct prepared by experts of various departments covering the human rights issues and incidents was released for the print and electronic media at a function held here on Monday. 

Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information and Local Government Kamran Bangash was the chief guest on the occasion. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ombudsperson for Protection of Women against Harassment at Workplaces Rakhshanda Naz, Secretary Information Arshad Khan, PEMRA member Dr Nasir Jamal Khattak, Ali Imran of University of Peshawar, former presidents of the Khyber Union of Journalists Arshad Aziz Malik and Saiful Islam Saifi and Peshawar Press Club General Secretary Imran Yousafzai, vice-president Shahzada Fahad and a large number of journalists from Peshawar, Mardan and Khyber districts attended the function. 

Speaking on the occasion, Ombudsperson Rakhshanda Naz and senior journalist Shamim Shahid said the government of Pakistan had enacted a law in accordance with the UN Charter for the protection of human rights in the country in 2010. 

They said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government formulated a policy in the light of that law in 2018 to ensure protection of human rights. The role of media, they said, was of paramount importance to implement the policy and code of conduct in letter and spirit. 

Shamim Shahid said that code of conduct was prepared after consulting members of the media community, including reporters, correspondents, editors, human rights activists, academicians and Ombudsperson’s office. He thanked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, UNDP and journalists from Peshawar, Mardan and Khyber districts. 

In his address, Special Assistant Kamran Bangash praised all those who took part in the preparation of the document.