KHYBER
Journalist community is the mirror image of the society and free press ensures freedom of speech and freedom of expression.Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees press freedom but at the same time restricts journalists on pretext of state and certain departments’ interests. Beside certain limitations media persons in tribal merged areas are competent to execute their professional duties with responsibility.
These views were expressed by the senior media persons and President of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Union of Journalist (KUJ) Shams Mohmand while addressing to a seminar as chief guest, organized in connection of observing World Press Freedom Day in Landi Kotal press club district Khyber on Friday.
Tehsil Chairman Shah Khalid Shinwari,Director General Operation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,(PEMRA) Amjad Afridi, Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) Syed Rameez Ali Shah, former Head of Teacher Association Haji Ghaffar, District Chief of Khudai Khedmatgar Fazal Rehman Afridi, scores of councillors; local journalists were among the participants.
He said that the purpose of observing “World Free Press Day” was to acknowledge journalists’ hard work, risking lives for revealing the truth and said blaming the journalist community for overlooking the people’s problems was injustice as a journalist was a reflection of the society.
For the last two decades, in spite of self restrictions, tribal journalists perform their professional duties with dedication and honesty beside unfavorable prevailed environment in the merged tribal districts, he remarked.
He went on that 17 tribal journalists who lost their precious lives in the line of duty in the last two decades showed affection for the local journalist to their profession.
Jointly they could compete challenges being faced by the journalist, he opined.
Earlier, Ibrahim Shinwari, Khalil Jibran, Ahmad Nabi and others highlighted the importance of the day and challenges faced by the media.
Later on a walk was also conducted at Bacha Khan Chawk, main Landi Kotal that was attended by people from different walks of life.
It is to be stated here that recognizing efforts and sacrifices of journalists in Africa in 1991, the United Nation has announced May 03 as World Press Freedom Day in 1993.
