K-P governor hails tribal journalists' sacrifices for peace in ex-FATA

Many tribal journalists lost their lives while others wounded during war on terror, says Haji Ghulam

TORKHAM:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Haji Ghulam Ali has appreciated the journalists’ efforts and sacrifices for peacebuilding and development of erstwhile Fata in the past two decades, saying that journalists in the tribal areas played an important role in this regard.

He said this while addressing the oath-taking ceremony of Tribal Union of Journalists interim council held at Governor House in Peshawar on Thursday.

The governor said many tribal journalists lost their lives while others wounded in their efforts to maintain peace in the ex-Fata.

He said the sacrifices of ex-Fata residents rendered for peace would not go in vain.

"Journalists are the key stakeholder of the society and they should also highlight the importance of newly merged districts' importance as there are minerals worth billions of dollars in the mountains in ex-Fata that need to be explored that could change the fate of the ten million tribal people,” he added.

The governor said that he would take up the journalists' issues with the federal government and pledge to arrange seminars and trainings for tribal journalists to bring them at par with the rest of the journalists in Pakistan.

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The interim Tribal Union of Journalists council chairman Qazi Fazlullah thanked Governor Ali, saying gone are the days when doors of the governor house would remain closed for tribal journalists.

He said their union did not compromise on the solidarity and integrity of Pakistan and rendered sacrifices for the country.

The union leader said as many as 13 journalists had been martyred in the line of duty while a number of others journalists wounded in war on terror.

Fazlullah said more than hundred journalists from ex-Fata have left their hometowns due to threats to their life.

"We are reviving the journalists union after ten years and would raise voice at every forum for their rights," he added.

The government and other organisations working for journalists should come forward and help out the tribal journalists, he demanded.

Qazi Fazlullah said still tribal journalists were in danger due to unrest in the erstwhile Fata but added that they were determined to play their role for peaceful and prosperous Pakistan.

He also demanded the governor to provide modern equipment to all press clubs in the newly-merged districts and construct the long awaited press club in Landikotal.