How do journalists in Pakistan, in the absence of a comprehensive code of ethics, uphold the integrity of their profession, and provide unbiased news and views. Should they continue with a general code or simply depend on their own discretion in the absence of adequate laws? Or, should they keep in mind the severity of their profession and exercise restrain. This was the uqestion raised at a workshop organized by the British Council in collaboration with Thompson Foundation, UK.
Participants attended the five-day workshop to discuss and eventually draft a list of ethical practices that would hopefully enable them to exercise the freedom to disseminate news with a modicum of responsibility.
The keynote address was delivered by veteran journalist Ghazi Salahuddin, who stressed the urgent need for outlining such a code because journalists in Pakistan have often taken their profession to be a sort of crusade against malpractice of any sort. Whereas, it is infact a profession like any other respectable one and should be treated as such.
After introductions, Graham Jones of the Thompson Foundation, UK, who is also deputy editor of CNN interactive Europe, America and Middle East began the workshop. Divided into four groups, participants raised problems faced bythem in Pakistan. Among the several issues raised was whether news should be made available to the Pakistani public even though a majority of them are illiterate or ignorant. Some made jarring comments while others were nonchalant in their responses. Another area of discussion which caused a stir was whether or not sub-editors turn a story far removed from the track. Predictably enough, reporters and writers held the sub-editors responsible for such problems.
Other than these minor discordant notes almost all the participants agreed on the issues raised. These were lack of competition in the absence of a vibrant press; prevailing corruption and abuse of power by journalists.
The conductor of the workshop was amused to see that unlike their counterparts in Lahore, who attended a similar workshop with Graham, those in Karachi were quick to accept the presence of lifafa journalism.
Above all there was consensus on the fact that when it comes to giving priority to news items, the English press is at variance with the vernacular press. Ironically, there was not a single participant to represent the Urdu press and present their views. And lastly as pointed out by one of the delegates even those news items that cause a major stir are eventually stashed away for good and there is hardly any follow up.
Another aspect of the discussion was the safety of the journalists which is usually a non-issue in Pakistan. The code of ethics of the Pakistan Press, as adopted during Zia's rule and later in 1993, was studied and compared with the UK code of ethics.
To provide the participants with a respite the workshop also had sessions whereby prominent figures from different professions interacted with the journalists. Former senator Nasreen Jalil from the Mutahhida Qaumi Movement (MQM) spoke on the press in Pakistan and discussed the plight of her party workers.
She said that "the press is freer than politics" but, it was the session with TV and film actress, Zeba Bakhtiar, that people awaited most. Zeba was candid in her observations. She spoke with special reference to coverage given by the press to Pakistan's showbizcelebrities, and stated that often the coverage given by our journalists has a demoralising effect on the professional lives of performers. Though most journalists showed strong reservations to these views.
The scope of the workshop was wide and after sessions the participants were able to draft a code of ethics for responsible journalism in Pakistan. The draft covers almost every aspect of their professional obligations from working in the light of public interest to presenting facts with accuracy; from providing equal opportunity to women journalists to safeguarding the identity of victims of sexual abuse; from decrying clandestine tactics on the part of journalists to ensuring objectivity (i.e. there should be a clear distinction in stories between fact and comment).
At the end of the workshop David Pearey, British Deputy High Commissioner distributed certificates among the participants. The workshop was a much-needed exercise. Providing an opportunity to the handful of journalists from different newspapers and magazines to interact. An exercise in the sheer use of common sense for which we often have to employ the services of outsiders.

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ISLAMABAD : Chairman of the 7th Wage Board for Newspaper Employees Justice Raja Afrasiab Khan has expressed the hope that the employers representatives would also attend the next meeting of the board for a positive dialogue to resolve the issue. Speaking at the 'Majlis' organised by National Press Club here on Saturday, the Chairman said that he has been trying to persuade the employer's representatives by arguments for joining the Wage Board proceedings.
"It has been my earnest endeavour that the newspaper industry shall flourish and expand further and for this purpose he will watch interest of both the sides," he said.
The chairman said he considered the task assigned to him as a mission and has been consulting with various sections of the newspaper industry to ascertain actual problems confronting the employees and the employers.
Asking both the sides for extending necessary co-operation to him he said "I want to hear the points of view of the two sides to give a realistic award."
He assured that award of the Wage Board would strictly be according to provisions of the law and on basis of the evidences recorded. He added that the award would surely be in the interest of the newspaper industry.
Raja Afrasiab said that he always upheld the banner of justice and fair play and has been conducting the proceedings of the Wage Board in a transparent manner. He said that the also held a meeting with the employers side, on their request, but kept the other side fully informed. No injustice would be done to anyone and both the sides would get their due, he said.
About the interim relief announced by him, he said it was a legitimate right of the workers and in case of non-compliance the aggrieved party could refer the case to the Implementation Tribunal.
A number of workers present on this occasion apprised the chairman of their problems and submitted suggestions. Representatives of journalist organisations also explained the problems being faced by workers in the newspaper industry.

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PBC gives away excellence awards
Pak Observer - April 17, 2001
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—In recognition of their services, noted literary figure Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi and legend Mehdi Hasan were given away life time achievement awards here at Liaquat Memorial Hall Saturday night.
The distinction was given to them during the fourth PBC Excellence Awards Ceremony, by Secretary Information Syed Anwar Mehmood and chairman Pakistan Television and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.
The jam-packed hall echoed with cheers and applaud when awards were given to winners of PBC Excellence Awards.
The audience remained glued to their seats as several famous artists provided entertainment till late at night.
PBC excellence awards were given away on all Pakistan basis to radio artists, performers and producers for their quality performance in their respective areas.
Much to shock of audience, Central Production Unit, World Service and External Services were overlooked as far as awards were concerned.
Qari Buzurg Shah from Islamabad was awarded the distinction in Qirat while Marghub Ahmed Hamdani clinched best Naat Khawani award.
Tarranum Naz got Noor Jehan award while Mehnaz was given best vocalist light music award and Ustad Raees Khan from Karachi got the best music composer award.
Zaki Taji from Faisalabad was given the best Qawwal award. For the first time as a tribute to late Madam Noor Jehan, Malika Tarrannum award was introduced this year.
Mubashir Ahmed Majoka from the headquarters received the best producer award in the current affairs category while Muhammad Omar got the best newscaster award in Urdu.
Kanwal Naseer got the best English producer award while Mazhar Nisar of Islamabad received the best English compere award and S M Saleem from Bahawalpur clinched the best Urdu compere award.
Fateh Ali Khan from Hyderabad was given super classical music award and special super star award was received by Muhammad Suhban Zakir of Muzaffarabad.
In disc jockey category, Kashif Khan of FM-101 Islamabad got the best English DJ Award while Sufian from Karachi was awarded Urdu DJ Award.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest said selection was done after a thorough scrutiny in each category.
He congratulated those who won distinctions and called on those who failed to get awards to work harder to win the honour in the coming years.  

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Pakistan Chief Executive to launch Radio news channel
PPI - April 18, 2001

ISLAMABAD : Radio Pakistan crosses another milestone in broadcasting with the launching of its News and Current Affairs Channel on Wednesday. The journey, which started with the independence on 14th August 1947, covered a long distance culminating in the setting up of a network of 24 Radio Stations across the country and Worldwide Areas.
The news and current affairs channel is being launched by the Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf at a ceremony from the National Broadcasting House in Islamabad on Wednesday at 10.30 AM.
The new channel will be exclusively dedicated to broadcasting news and current affairs programmes, keeping in view the importance of modern broadcasting trends. It will put on news and current affairs broadcast spread over seven hours a day. Half of the time will be devoted to News Bulletins covering national, international, commercial, sports and weather.
A significant future of the news channel is the introduction of a fifteen minute District News Bulletin to be broadcast at 8.30 PM daily. It will coincide with the new dispensation, assuring participation of the masses to be master of their own destiny through the devolution of power plan and launching of a new concept of District Governments to achieve this goal.
Besides its normal hourly news, there will be commercial, five sports and five weather news bulletins daily. A news bulletin covering developments in occupied Kashmir wake of the ongoing liberation struggle and related developments will be broadcast daily at 6.10 PM.
The current affairs channel spread over the remaining duration of there and a half hours daily will cover discussion programmes, interviews, analytical surveys of current issues of national and international significance.

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Sindh Governor opens stock quotes on PTV news channel
Business Recorder - April 18, 2001

KARACHI : The governor of Sindh, Muhammadmian Soomro, inaugurated the live financial data, super imposed on PTV news channel at a ceremony here at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) premises on Tuesday. Speaking on the occasion, he called upon the private sector to take initiatives as engine of growth so that Pakistan could find its place where it should have been long ago.
He said the release of stock exchanges data and other important information on the news channel of PTV was a significant cooperation between a big financial sector like Stock Exchange with modern information technology which would boost the capital market as well as strengthen the national economy.
"The stock exchanges are the barometers of the economy and their scope will be widened through this advancement as those interested in economic activity and investment will remain in touch through PTV", said the governor.
The managing director of PTV, Yousuf Baig Mirza, on this occasion, said that real time financial data and social information like flight schedules etc would be super imposed on PTV telecast after every 15 minutes. The rates of scrips of all the three stock exchanges would be telecast at the bottom of the screen with the Wavetech ticker technology
The chairman of KSE, Yasin Lakhani, said at the initial stage, the data would be released on PTV news channel but later it would go on PTV world.
He said it was the part of the efforts made by KSE to take it at par with the international stock exchanges and widen its horizon.
"The most significant part of the efforts is that all the systems to improve the stock exchange and ensure transparency in its transactions were developed by the Pakistanis and are being managed by them", said he.
Later, the governor of Sindh opened the live telecast of stock exchange quotes by pressing a button. The ceremony was live telecast from the KSE auditorium

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Newsmen stage hunger strike against attack on colleague
Business Recorder - April 18, 2001

HYDERABAD : Over half a dozen newsmen of Bulrishah Karim Tando Muhammad Khan led by the president of the Bulrishah Karim press club, Jameel Ahmed Memon, continued their hunger strike outside the Hyderabad press club on the second consecutive day here on Tuesday. They were protesting against the alleged murderous attack on a local journalist Shahek Khan Rind by the cronies of Tando Muhammad Khan Mukhtiarkar Ghulam Qadir Junejo.
Talking to newsmen, they alleged that about one-dozen henchmen of the said Mukhtiarkar on his instigation had made a murderous attack on the life of Rind as he had exposed the corrupt practices of the Mukhtiarkar.
They said that this incident had occurred one week back but the authorities had failed to take any action against the Mukhtiarkar.
They threatened to stage hunger strike unto death if an FIR was not registered against the Mukhtiarkar and his henchmen.