Protecting their own: Welfare fund for journalists launched

ISLAMABAD:

The National Press Club has constituted a fund for the welfare of the journalist community. Families of journalists who are killed or injured on duty would be supported from this fund. At a ceremony held on Wednesday, NPC President Farooq Faisal said the fund would enable journalists to financially support their colleagues who become casualties in the line of duty.

A board of trustees has been established to look over disbursement matters of the fund. Senior journalist Nasir Zaidi would be the chairman of the board, along with Khalid Azeem as the secretary. Members include former NPC presidents Mushtaq Minhas, Tariq Chaudhary, Afzal Butt and Hamid Mir.

It was disclosed that the fund’s principal amount would not be used whereas the interest and additional donations would be used for welfare purposes. Senior journalists donated hefty amounts for the cause of welfare of journalists’ families.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2013.