The Standing Committee session of Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has reiterated its resolve of playing role for the promotion of free & fair journalism in the society. CPNE President Arif Nizami chaired the session held here at a local hotel. The resolution passed at the session stated that although creating sensational affect regarding any incident was an irresponsible attitude, however, reporting of the facts was the right of newspapers coupled with the core element of the professional responsibilities of the editor.
The standing committee through its resolution also expressed concern over the issue that the reports regarding tragic incidents occurring in Gilgit and Sui (Balochistan) were tried to be halted through press advice from the government and ads of the papers not abiding by the advice were suspended.
The committee, condemning the press advice practice, said in the resolution that editors of Pakistan newspapers were part of a responsible press and well aware of their professional duties concerning public interest.
Press Advice practice creates an affect of the undue intervention of the government in the affairs of the fourth pillar of the state that should be avoided, the resolution added.
Considering the freedom of press as vital for the stability of the democratic norms, it was demanded that the policy of avenging activities against newspapers, particularly suspension of ads should be stopped forthwith in case of not following the government's directions regarding publishing of news, display and editorials.
The session also discussed the necessary arrangements for the establishment of Media Complaint Commission and the CPNE Secretariat was directed to expedite the proceedings in this regard.
The session appreciated the establishment of Press Freedom Monitoring Desk under CPNE and it was hoped that this desk would be helpful in the promotion of press freedom.
Vice President CPNE Shaheen Qureshi (Daily Pakistan Times Islamabad), Secretary General Jabbar Khatak (Daily Awami Awaz Karachi), Joint Secretary Abdul Rashid Ghazi (Daily Business Report), Finance Secretary Mehtab Khan (Daily Ausaf Islamabad), Mumtaz Tahir (Daily Aftab Lahore), Nargis Baloch (Daily Intekhab Karachi), Wasim Ahmed (Daily Awam Quetta), Wamiq Zuberi (Business Recorder Karachi), Tahir Najmi (Daily Express Karachi), Qazi Asad Abid (Daily Ibrat Hyderabad), Muzaffar Ejaz (Daily Jasarat Karachi), Shareef Faruq (Daily Jihad Peshawar), Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah (Daily Kainat), Javed Mahar Shamsi (Daily Claim Sukkur), Amir Mehmud (Monthly Kiran Karachi), Inquilab Matri (Millat Karachi), Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi (Naey Ufaq), Sajjad Mir (Daily Nawa-e-Waqt Karachi), Abdul Khaliq (Online), Qutubuddin (Daily Pakistan Lahore), Syed Mohammad Munir Jillani (Daily Peegham Faisalabad), Owais Aslam Ali (PPI News Agency), and many others were present.
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