Tribute: Media owners blamed for decline of investigative reporting

Journalism students urged to read up veterans’ work.

LAHORE: Lack of encouragement from news organisations is to blame for the declining practice of investigative reporting in the country’s media, Khalid Qayyum Chaudhary, editor reporting at Daily Express, said on Monday.

He was speaking at a seminar titled Crime Investigative Reporting: A Tribute to Asad Sahi at Punjab University’s (PU) Institute of Communication Studies (ICS).

Chaudhary said he and Asad Sahi had started their reporting careers at the same time. He called Sahi the best crime investigative reporter in the country. “He filed an investigative report the very day he passed away,” he said.

Other journalists who spoke at the occasion included Mirza Naseer Baig, Mian Habibullah and Najam Wali.

Mian Habibullah said crime reporting involved investigating facts that were otherwise hidden from the public and buried in police and court records.

Najam Wali said crime reporting required hard work and dedication. “Sahi showed both these qualities. He was the most hardworking and dedicated journalist I have come across,” he said.  Baig concurred with him and said that Sahi was always responsible and diligent with his work.

ICS in-charge Dr Noshina Saleem urged students in attendance to learn from the work of reporters like Sahi. She said Sahi’s work could be useful as reference material for students interested in investigative reporting careers. Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran also advised students to study the work of journalists like Sahi to hone their reporting skills.

Later, a prayer session was arranged for late Asad Sahi and flowers were presented to his brothers Aoun Abbas Sahi and Ali Muslim Sahi.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2015.