Workshop on ‘Safety of journalists in Conflict Zones and Hostile Environment areas’ Sub Tehsil Uch Sharif, April 11-12, 2011 ‘Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi Lauds Media Role’

Uch Sharif (Rural Pakistan): Nawab of Bahawalpur Salahuddin Abbasi has Lauded the role of media in supporting the genuine demand of the restoration of former provincial status of Bahawalpur and urged media houses to provide necessary facilities to their correspondents including the cover of life insurance while sending them on dangerous assignments. These views were expressed by him while addressing the certificate giving ceremony of the two days long workshop for “The Safety of Journalists Working in Conflict Areas & hostile Environment” organised by The Rural Media Network Pakistan (RMNP) in collaboration of Unesco in the premises of Town Committee Uchsharif last evening.

Central President Muttahida Mahaz Bahawalpur (Women Wing) Mrs Abida Durrani,Ex-PML(N)MNA Ali Hassan Gillani,Makhdoom Sultan Jehanian Bukhari,Makhdoom Syed Naseem Abbas Bukhari,Makhdoom Syed Nasar
Bukhari,Ex-leader of opposition in District Council Bahawalpur Mian RafiaturRehman,Ex-Union Nazimeen Zameer Ahmed Khicchi,Sardar JalilurRehman Khan besides a large number of notables were present on this occasion. Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi underlined the need to separate the two issues in RMNP future training – one safety and security
where participants get training, how to recognize and deal with risks, moreover how to take personal protection, how to act in emergency situations etc . This has to do with physical threats and security.

He informed that the other issue for journalists is information security -commenting on it he asked the resource persons how they make sure that the information journalists receive, and the information they send, is secure. This has to do a lot with Internet security and there journalists use the manuals developed for free for this purpose. Nawab Salahuddin told the audience that a third issue is how journalists report on difficult issues – for example corruption,
honour killings, sectarian extremism – where it is very important to use concrete facts and figures. This also has to do with investigative journalism (skills) and access to information laws (legislation). Trainings in investigative journalism are best coupled with trainings on the use of existing law which guarantee access to information, he maintained. These above mentioned three are separate issues, and as per media experts opinion it is much more effective for the
journalists if RMNP do not mix them all in one training, but have separate trainings, he observed . Nawab of Bahawalpur appreciated the efforts of the Rural Media Network Pakistan for organising training programmes for rural journalists and termed it unique example in Pakistan. He urged journalists community to come forward and play leading role in the restoration of former provincial status of Bahawalpur. Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi asked the rulers to restore former provincial status of Bahawalpur or pick his dead body. He lashed on those crying for Seraiki province and asked them for its demarcation. He claimed that ” Bahawalpur Declaration” unveiled by him on 14th April in historical Sadiq Garh Palace DeraNawabSahib will bring a drastic change in whole area and new sun will rise in Bahawalpur with new hopes, he concluded. Earlier Chairman(retd)Pakistan Press Foundation(PPF) Fazal Qureshi , Content Editor Mediators Karachi Khalid Saeed ,Presidents of three rival bodies of Uchsharif Press Club
Mian Abdul Rauf, Mian Aamar Siddiqui, Syed Azhar Ali Rizvi,Vice president Mohd Akmal Sheikh and President RMNP Ehsan Ahmed Sehar addressed the ceremony. All the three presidents of rival bodies of Uchsharif thanked RMNP-UNESCO for organising a training programme for the first time in the history of Uchshrif.

They demanded of RMNP to hold a training programme for the improvement of basic skills of district correspondents based in historical town Uchsharif. Later on Nawab Salahuddin Abbasi distributed certificates among thirty participants
Syed Azhar Ali Rizvi, Abdul Ghani Langah, Abdul Khaliq Sarmad, Zahid Hussain Khan, Muhammad Siddiq Khan, Mian Muhammad Aamir Siddiqi, Abdul Malik Bidani, Zubair Niazi, Ziaul Haq Shehzad, Muhammad Sajid Khan Khwaja Ghulam Shabbir, Mian Muhammad Tariq, Abdul Qadir Biddani, Sajjad Hussain, Irshad Hussain Shad, Muhammad Akbar Khan, Rana Muhammad Irfan, Syed Mujtahid Rizvi, Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, Tahir Manzoor, Syed Farzand Hussain, Muhammad Ejaz Mastoi, Muhammad Naved, Fakhar Azeem Baloch, Abdul Ghafoor Gabool, Mian Abdul Rauf, Muhammad Akmal Sheikh, Sheikh Noman Haider, Sohail Mazhar Siddiqi and Azhar Iqbal Mughal. Makhdoom Syed Ali Hassan Gillani inaugurates training workshop It is pertinent to mention that two days long training workshop was inaugurated by ex-PMLN MNA Makhdoom Syed Ali Hassan Gillani in Palace Hotel, Uch Sharif , on April 11 at 8:30 AM.
He was accompanied by PPP leader Al-Haj Rasheed Hussain Hashmi. Makhdoom Syed Ali Hassan Gillani lauded the role of the Rural Media Network Pakistan for uniting three rival press clubs of Uch Sharif and said that it is the first time in the history of this remote area where a training programme for rural journalists has been organised. He urged to organise a basic skill development training programme for new entrants of Sub tehsil Uch Sharif.

President RMNP Ehsan Ahmed Sehar said that in near future a basic skills Development programme for rural journalists will be launched under which 250 rural journalists will be benefitted. He assured the participants that
Uch Sharif will be included in new training programme.