F.P Report
PESHAWAR: Journalists Welfare, Safety and Development Foundation (JWSDF) on Thursday launched a capacity training program for journalists of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
Secretary Information, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Qaiser Alam Khan was chief guest in the launching ceremony held here. Besides, Director General Information, Amir Hussain Shah, JWSDF foundation patron in chief, Syed Bukhar Shah, chairman Ali Hazrat Bacha, office bearers, relevant officials were present at the opening event.
Ali Hazrat Bacha in his opening remarks briefed the participants about the main objectives of the foundation. He said JWSDF had embarked its journey some three years back and conducted different capacity building training for working journalists. Besides, he said the foundation has planned to launch vocational training and self-employment programs for widow and orphans children of martyred journalists.
On the occasion, he presented number of demands and recommendations before the provincial government, including allocation annual grant in Aid for JWSDF, foundation representation in board of directors.
Besides, he urged the information department to issue directives to its regional offices to cooperate with the foundation during arranging activities in various districts of the province.
Qaiser Alam while speaking on the occasion said that the skilled development of working journalists is essential for perform their professional obligations in more responsible and authentic manner.
He stressed the need for initiating of joint venture between relevant government department, academic, and the foundation to build up the capacity of budding journalists bring more fairness, clarity, especially promotion of the ethical journalism.
The official said the journalism is the fourth pillar of the state, which had played important role in highlighting the public issues for amicable their readdressal by the authorities concerned. He said the dynamics of journalism rapidly changing with invention of new tools and methods. He emphasized that the journalists should ensure their safety and security first during discharging their professional duties.
He said the working journalists are being faced with host challenges, which would be addressed with proper patronage of the government and other welfare bodies.
He said there was no special training program for the working journalists to build up their capacity as per current requirements, while newspapers institutions were not taken such initiative for their employees in this regard.
So, he informed that the provincial information department, journalism and mass communication department of the university of Peshawar, in collaboration with JWSDF will soon launch a comprehensive training program for working journalists.
The official has agreed with the recommedantions of the JWSDF and assured that the department would make all out efforts to fulfill all demands of the foundation.
Earlier, the speakers on the occasion underscored the need of proper skilled training of working journalists to bring more clarity, fairness and objectivity in the practical journalism. They urged the representatives of media to ensure their safety first while performaing the professional duties.
