The Punjab governor has made it clear that Pakistan badly needs the support of her print and electronic media to establish national integrity to counter the anti-Pakistani propaganda by the international media.
Khalid Maqbool told the opening session of a two-day conference on "national integrity and media," organised by the Punjab University Institute of Communication Studies at the auditorium of the Pervez Hassan Environmental Law Centre on Saturday, that it was a tragedy that the Pakistani media was not promoting the country's integrity and instead it was criticising politicians.
He said, "It is the media's right to criticise personalities but when it comes to the national integrity the media should practice a collective unanimous wisdom and stand by our homeland."
He urged columnists and analysts to never talk about the country's disintegration and instead talk about the federation and help the establishment keep unite all the provinces. He said Pakistan's economy, cultural traditions and dress and national language were the tools of integration, adding that, despite different sects, Islam was also a strong source of unification.
He also said the Institute of Communication Studies was one of the best of its kind in the world and told its vice chancellor to give needed grants to provide recording and broadcasting equipment for his students. He then praised the vice chancellor for having the tenure track system adoption approved by the university's syndicate.
Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mujahid Kamran said, "Integration is a divine task because all prophets have worked for it on this earth. Realising the power of the media, we should use this fourth pillar of the state first to establish peace and harmony and then to develop our country."
Professor Dr Mughees-ud-Din Sheikh said the Punjab University was the best one in Pakistan and the Institute of Communication Studies was the best of his university, but rued the less number of media professionals and technicians. He then urged the governor to provide funds to build a new auditorium and latest cameras for students.
Dr Mujahid Ali Mansoori said, "In today's civilised world real wars are being fought through the media and not by ammunition. The print and electronic media are the real weapons through which Pakistan can protect its interests in this uni-polar world." District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood was also present.