'Courses to improve professional skills of mediapersons soon'

Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Qamar Zaman Kaira has said a training programme would be initiated this month to improve professional skills of mediapersons. "I have asked the Ministry of Information to expedite the process and finalise a curriculum for training in collaboration with Higher Education Commission (HEC) so that it could be launched as early as possible," he said while talking to a group of journalists.
During his visit to National Press Club (NPC) here late Friday to facilitate the newly-elected body of NPC, the Minister said short courses for capacity building of journalists at three academies of the Ministry would be arranged and they would be imparted training by renowned media experts.
Flanked by Minister for Textiles, Rana Muhammad Farooq, Kaira said he has also directed his ministry to expedite the process to establish the Journalists' Victim Fund, aimed at providing financial assistance to the journalists especially those who die in the line of duty.
Giving further details, he said Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced this Fund, which would be established with an initial amount of Rs 50 million. He said the government would extend all possible support for the welfare of the journalist community and the training programme and fund are clear evidence of the government's commitment towards well-being of the journalists community.
Lauding the role of NPC for arranging a debate on vital national issues, the minister said this practice would continue in future as well. He expressed the hope that the newly elected body of NPC would utilise all its energies for the welfare of the journalists and would come up to their expectations.
Answering a question, the minister said priority of the government in 2010 would be to rid the country from the menace of terrorism, adding that biggest achievement of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government is evolving consensus among the countrymen on fighting war on terror head on. He also enumerated the achievements of the government and said the consensus on inking of National Finance Commission (NFC) Award has helped decreasing differences between the centre and provinces and NFC inking has increased confidence among the provinces and federation.
He urged all the institutions to work jointly in order to cope with the challenges being faced by the country and said it is the PPP leadership, which has always voiced for the rights of people and sacrificed for the cause of democracy and betterment of the country. He said with implementation on NFC and Aghaz e Haqooq e Balochistan - the trust deficit would be bridged. NFC implementation would transpire that all the federating units are equal shareholders in country's resources.
Minister for Textiles Rana Farooq also appreciated the NPC role and congratulated the new office bearers of the press club. He hoped that the new Body would continue to serve the journalists community with same zeal and zest besides upholding the dignity of media in the country.
Newly elected President NPC, Afzal Butt highlighted some problems being faced by the journalists community and said his team would leave no stone unturned in resolving the genuine problems of the journalists. He thanked both the ministers for visiting NPC and their support to the new body.