KARACHI: Federal and provincial ministers, leaders of different political parties, senior journalists and civil society representatives came together to discuss the state of press freedom and the present media crisis in the country at a seminar here on Saturday.
The programme, which was organised by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in collaboration with the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), also featured the launch of a PFUJ book titled From Layoffs to Lashes: PFUJ’s 70-Year Fight for Media Freedom.
While the journalist fraternity highlighted the need for building a united front against all the injustices and for documenting the same besides demanding legislation for journalists’ protection, senior political leaders called the present situation ‘the times of hopelessness’ and said it was the government responsibility to ensure media freedom that the constitution guaranteed.
Being a journalist myself, with a career spanning almost a decade in the field, I have been rattling my brain about the books I have read about my own field in a fast-changing landscape. I’m embarrassed to disclose that my knowledge about my own field is limited, and so I’ve started picking up books on the subject from bookstores. One recently published book I got my hands on is From Terrorism to Television: Dynamics of Media, State and Society in Pakistan, co-edited by the erudite writers and academics Qaisar Abbas and Farooq Sulehria.
I have always had immense respect for their great contributions, which is why I was attracted to the book through their names. Although journalism is a sombre topic, their writings are such that a reader is unable to put the book down. From Terrorism to Television delves deeply into the issues of “media, state and democracy in Pakistan” and, with contributions from scholars and journalists from various cities of Pakistan, it provides readers
Psychiatrist kills daughter, himself
MULTAN:
Renowned psychiatrist Dr Azhar Hussain allegedly killed his daughter Dr Aliza Haider over a domestic dispute and later on ended his life with the same weapon at his residence in Justice Hameed colony on Friday afternoon.
Police took body bodies into custody to conduct detailed probe of the incident. As per initial investigation, Dr Aliza was shot in the neck by her father and was rushed to the hospital by her mother Bushra but the victim passed away before she could avail medical treatment. The family claimed that Dr Azhar was suffering from heightened stress. Sources said 66-year-old Dr Azhar had retired from Nishtar hospital nearly six years ago as the professor of psychiatry. Later on, he continued to practice psychiatry from his residence in Multan. Talking to The Express Tribune, neighbours revealed that they heard gunshots in the area and informed the local police.
Two Multan women thieves keeping police on their toes
Multiple FIRs filed against suspects SAMAA | Aamir Iqbal - Posted: Dec 30, 2020 | Last Updated: 3 months ago SAMAA | Aamir Iqbal Posted: Dec 30, 2020 | Last Updated: 3 months ago
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A gang of two women, accused of stealing jewellery worth millions of rupees, have been keeping the police on their toes, always managing to escape from the crime scene.
According to the police, the women identify rich families and then work at their houses as domestic help. After a few days they rob all the cash and jewellery from the house and flee, a police officer said.
Sharing the Vision steering committee members announced
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and the Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, have today (December 14) revealed the names of the people who will help drive reform of the country’s mental health sector over the next decade.
Chaired by the Chief Executive of the mental health charity Shine, John Saunders, the 17-member National Implementation and Monitoring Committee (NIMC) will implement the Government’s 10-year plan for mental health provision, Sharing the Vision – A Mental Health Policy for Everyone.
Saunders, who was Chair of the 2nd Independent Monitoring Group to oversee and report on the implementation of Sharing the Vision’s successor, a Vision of Change, said the NIMC’s membership represented “a broad and diverse spectrum of mental health professionals and advocates, including people with lived experience, all of whom are highly qualified and bring considerable expertise to