Information Minister Sheikh Rashid has said more than fifty-thousand jobs would be created in electronic media after launching of new television channels in the country. He was speaking at a panel discussion here on Tuesday on "Media and Good Governance". Panelists were Hamid Mir from Geo, M. Ziauddin from Dawn, Syed Talat Hussain from Aaj TV, Qatrina Hussain from PTV and Khalid Akhtar from the News. The minister said press is enjoying full freedom and it would not compromise on the freedom of press in future. "Democracy is incomplete and functionless without the freedom of press," he said and added that "democracy in a country flourish by active and free functioning media".
He urged private television channels to focus on social and economic issues of national importance instead of commercial activities.
To a question about launching of an Islamic channel, he said members of the OIC countries have consulted for this, however, there is still no development in this regard, he added. Qatrina Hussain said private channels give more coverage to commercial activities rather than highlighting problems of masses.