Press Freedom Day: ‘Tis a difficult country to work as a journalist in'

Seminars, talks organised at press clubs across the province.

RAHIM YAR KHAN/ SARGODHA/ LAHORE:

Seminars were held at press clubs across the province to mark International Press Freedom Day on Sunday.

Lahore Press Club president Arshad Ansari said journalists working in Pakistan faced an immense challenge.

“This is a difficult country to seek freedom of expression in,” he said.

He said journalists had limited resources and poor salaries. He said major media houses were ignoring the hard work of their reporters and not giving them their due credit.



He criticised the government for not failing to ensure proper security for journalists. He said the press had played a pivotal role in protecting democracy and democratic institutions in the country.

He said journalist of Lahore would write a letter to the federal government asking for better security and to ensure implementation of the wage board award for newspaper workers.

A seminar was held in Wah Bachcharan Press Club. Scores of local journalists attended the gathering.

Addressing participants, journalist Rana Muhammad Asghar said, “The world may have progressed but journalists are still under a lot of restrictions as before.”

He said those writing and speaking against injustice had been silenced over the last few years.

He said journalists played an important role in development of a nation.

He said the government should ensure safety and security of journalists across the country.

Another seminar was held in Liaqatpur in Rahim Yar Khan.

Addressing the participants, press club president Malik Ijazul Hasan said many journalists had rendered immense sacrifices for freedom of expression.

He said journalists were respected all over the world.

“In Pakistan, journalists are still struggling for recognition. “Many are oppressed by the local elite,” he said.

Journalists addressing a seminar in Bhawal said this was a particularly difficult time for journalists.

They said increased policing had meant that a greater number of journalists were under surveillance.

Rao Muhammad Arshad Aziz, president of Faroqabad Press Club, told participants of a seminar that journalists should help rid the country of terrorism.

“Journalists have rescued this country many times,” he said. “Fighting terrorism should be their mission today.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2015.