The Sindh Committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) at its meeting here on Wednesday considered threadbare the issue of accreditation of correspondents and photographers by the Sindh Information department for the year 2004.
The committee declared that the endorsement of the application form for accreditation when given under the signatures and seal of the Editor or Managing Editor of the newspaper/news agency should be enough for the accreditation of the correspondent on behalf of the newspaper or news agency.
The meeting felt that the introduction of any additional requirement other than the endorsement of the Editor/managing Editor for purposes of accreditation of the correspondent was unacceptable and uncalled for.
The meeting strongly felt that accreditation rules in Sindh province should not be different from the rules at the other provincial levels, where there was no requirement laid down for filing of an appointment letter and the endorsement of the Editor/ Managing Editor on the application is considered enough.
The meeting, presided over by Convenor, Mahmudul Aziz and Joint Convenor Anwer Farooqui, deliberated at length on the situation caused by additional requirements laid down by the Sindh Information department for issuance of accreditation cards to the professional journalists working with newspaper and news agencies as also photographers.
The meeting strongly felt that the additional requirements were actually counterproductive and should be dropped, and instead the previous practice of accepting the countersignatures with seal of the Editor or Managing Editor on forms seeking accreditation with the Sindh Information Department should be maintained.
The meeting also strongly felt that due caution and care is exercised by newspaper editors while issuing authorisation and endorsement on the application forms for accreditation by their correspondents, as such the practice of endorsement of the application by the Editor.
The CPNE Sindh Committee also directed all the members-Editors of the CPNE to follow the directive of the CPNE and adhere to the practice of endorsing the applications for accreditation of their correspondents with the offices of the Sindh Information Department.
The meeting also considered the proposal for holding of a seminar at the earliest on the subject 'Press Freedom in the backdrop of National Interests". The meeting felt the urgent need for holding of the seminar, especially in the context of the national and international scenario on the subject of nuclear proliferation.
The meeting appointed Owais Aslam Ali as Convenor of the sub-committee to finalise the arrangements for the holding of the seminar and to ensure participation by different sections of civil society. Owais Aslam Ali was also authorised to include two or three members in the Sub-Committee, which will have Secretary General of the CPNE, Jabbar Khatak as Ex-officio member.
The meeting noted that seminars on the same theme were going to be held by the Regional Committees of the CPNE at other provincial and Federal Capital.
The CPNE Sindh Committee meeting began with the recitation of the Holy Quran. Those who attended the meeting included Qazi Asad Abid, Chief Editor Ibrat, Wamiq Zuberi, Editor Business Recorder, Tahir Najmi Editor Express, Muzaffar Ejaz Editor Daily Jasarat, Dr Jabbar Khatak Editor Awami Awaz and General Secretary of the CPNE Owais Aslam Ali, Managing Editor PPI, S Hassan, Chief Editor Marketing and Investment, Younus Riaz, Editor Daily Beopar, Mushtaq Qureshi Chief Editor Nae Ufaq, Amir Mahmood Editor Kiran monthly, Wiqar Yusuf Azeemi, Editor Roohani digest monthly, Riaz Mansoori, Editor Online News Agency, Joint Convener Anwer Farooqui and Convenor Mahmudul Aziz.-PR
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