IPI and RMNP Train Journalists to Counter Online Harassment in Rural Pakistan
Specialised newsroom safety workshop in Ahmedpur East includes eight female contributors; RMNP registration records 27 participants, with a Zoom technical operator also present
AHMEDPUR EAST, October 22, 2026: The International Press Institute (IPI), in collaboration with Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP), organised an online training workshop on countering online harassment of journalists at Punjab College, Ahmedpur East, on Thursday. The workshop focused on practical measures that newsrooms can adopt to prevent online abuse, assess potential risks, respond effectively to harassment incidents and support journalists targeted by digital attacks.
Titled “How Newsrooms Can Build an Effective Response Against Online Harassment,” the specialised training was delivered remotely from Vienna by Javier Luque, Head of Digital Media and Online Safety at the International Press Institute, Austria.
According to RMNP’s registration records, 27 participants registered for the workshop, including eight female contributors. The report subsequently published by Journalists Alliance Pakistan (JAP) stated that 28 people attended the event. The additional person was the technical operator handling the Zoom session, rather than a registered trainee.
The participants represented Ahmedpur East, Bahawalpur, Uch Sharif, Mubarakpur and Chani Goth, and included journalists, editors, television correspondents, freelancers and members of local journalists’ organisations.
RMNP President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar presents IPI training certificates to Dr Syeda Huma Qasim and other female participants at the conclusion of the online harassment training workshop in Ahmedpur East.
Practical newsroom responses to online harassment
Through a presentation and an interactive question-and-answer session, Javier Luque explained how media organisations can establish workable newsroom procedures to prevent and respond to online harassment while protecting journalists and maintaining professional standards.
The workshop addressed four key areas: establishing effective response procedures, developing preventive safeguards, providing recovery and support mechanisms for targeted journalists, and adapting newsroom protocols to the resources and specific needs of individual media organisations.
The masterclass draws on practical approaches developed by IPI and Faktograf through work involving more than 40 newsrooms. It is intended to help editors, newsroom managers and audience-engagement teams establish workable procedures for addressing online abuse while safeguarding journalists and the credibility of their organisations.
RMNP welcomes IPI trainer and participants
Dr Syeda Huma Qasim, RMNP’s Women’s Wing Coordinator in Bahawalpur, delivered the welcome remarks on behalf of Rural Media Network Pakistan. She welcomed Javier Luque and Grace Linczer, IPI’s Membership and Engagement Manager, and thanked the IPI team for supporting the specialised training.
Welcoming members of the Tehsil Press Clubs affiliated with the Journalists Alliance Pakistan (JAP), Southern Punjab Chapter, and members of the Ahmedpur Union of Journalists Workers (AUJW), Dr Huma emphasised the importance of strengthening journalists’ safety in an increasingly digital media environment.
She expressed hope that the session would provide practical guidance that participants could apply in their professional work, particularly when responding to online harassment and abuse. She then invited Javier Luque to begin the training.
RMNP President Ehsan Ahmed Sehar presents IPI training certificates to male journalists who participated in the workshop on developing effective newsroom responses to online harassment.
RMNP president remains present throughout the sensitive session
Ehsan Ahmed Sehar, President of RMNP, remained personally present throughout the sensitive training session. His presence underscored the importance RMNP attaches to journalists’ digital safety and the responsible handling of online harassment.
IPI certificates distributed among participants
At the conclusion of the workshop, IPI certificates were distributed among participating journalists and female contributors by Ehsan Ahmed Sehar, President of RMNP and founder of Journalists Alliance Pakistan, and Muhammad Suleman Farooqi, Chairman of the Steering Committee of JAP’s Rural and Town Press Clubs, South Punjab Chapter.
The participation of journalists from newspapers, television channels, local press clubs and freelance backgrounds highlighted the importance of extending digital safety training beyond major media centres to journalists working in rural districts and towns.
RMNP president thanks IPI leadership
Expressing gratitude for arranging the training at RMNP’s request, Ehsan Ahmed Sehar thanked Scott Griffin, Executive Director of the International Press Institute; Grace Linczer, IPI’s Membership and Engagement Manager; and Javier Luque, Head of Digital Media and Online Safety, for their cooperation and support in making the specialised session available to journalists in South Punjab.
The workshop formed part of wider efforts to strengthen journalists’ capacity to respond to online harassment and improve newsroom preparedness, particularly in areas where journalists may have limited access to specialised professional training.
Registered participants
According to the registration list provided by RMNP, the following 27 individuals were registered for the workshop:
- Ehsan Ahmed Sehar — Coordinator.
- Dr Huma Qasim — RMNP Women’s Coordinator, Bahawalpur City.
- Muhammad Suleman Farooqi — Chairman, Steering Committee, JAP South Punjab Chapter.
- Syed Ammar Alvi — JAP correspondent, Waqt TV Channel, Bahawalpur.
- Muhammad Akmal Sheikh — District Reporter, Dunya News TV Channel, Bahawalpur.
- Ijaz Ahmed Khan — Editor, Daily Nawa-i-Ahmedpursharqia; JAP South Punjab Chapter.
- Muhammad Makki Haider Jalwana — Correspondent, Daily Ausaf.
- Ziaul Haq Shehzad — Tehsil Reporter, Dunya TV Channel.
- Malik Rashad Mehmood Channar — Correspondent, Daily Aftab; AUJW.
- Chaudhry Ahmed Ali — Correspondent, Daily Joshela; AUJW.
- Rashad Aziz Hashmi — Correspondent, Roze News TV Channel; member, JAP Tehsil Press Clubs Committee.
- Hameedullah Khan Aziz — Editor, Tafheemul Islam; AUJW.
- Khadim Hussain Somro — Correspondent, 24 News TV Channel; President, Ahmedpur Media Club (registered).
- Waseem Sajawal — Freelancer; AUJW.
- Shabbir Ahmed Qureshi — Staff Reporter, Daily Nawa-i-Ahmedpursharqia; AUJW.
- Syed Tanveerul Hassan Bukhari — Correspondent, Daily Pakistan; Vice-Chairman, Steering Committee, JAP South Punjab Chapter.
- Imran Mueed Parwaz — Freelancer.
- Maaz Farooqi — Freelancer; AUJW.
- Ms Minhal Fatima — AUJW.
- Ms Ayesha Jehangir — AUJW.
- Ms Rimsha Younas — AUJW.
- Ms Farwa Irshad — AUJW.
- Ms Sana Tabussum — AUJW.
- Ms Dua Islam — AUJW.
- Ms Alishba Rasheed — AUJW.
- Irshad Ahmed Shad — Co-Chairman, JAP South Punjab Chapter.
- Shahid Bashir Chaudhry — Chief Organiser, JAP South Punjab Chapter; correspondent, Daily Jang.
Muhammad Suleman Farooqi, Chairman of the Steering Committee of Journalists Alliance Pakistan’s Rural and Town Press Clubs, South Punjab Chapter, presents IPI training certificates to male participants at the concluding session in Ahmedpur East.
Online course for further learning
Participants were encouraged to benefit from IPI’s online course, “Building Effective Newsroom Protocols to Address Online Harassment,” which provides further guidance on developing newsroom responses to online abuse.
The course is available at: https://newsrooms-ontheline.ipi.media/
The collaboration between IPI and RMNP provided journalists in Ahmedpur East and surrounding areas with an opportunity to learn practical approaches to digital safety and newsroom preparedness from an international media development organisation.
About Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP): Established in 2004, RMNP works to strengthen press freedom, journalists’ safety, professional journalism and media capacity-building, with a particular focus on rural Pakistan.
Hashtags: #RMNP #IPI #JournalistSafety #OnlineHarassment #DigitalSafety #PressFreedom #MediaDevelopment #NewsroomSafety #AhmedpurEast #RuralJournalism #SouthPunjab #JournalistsAlliancePakistan
