18 December 2004	Saturday	05 Ziqa'ad 1425

KARACHI, Dec 17: The three-day workshop highlighting the role of free press, fair and balanced reporting attended by journalists of international radio networks and Radio Pakistan concluded on Friday in Karachi.

Former federal information minister Javed Jabbar, who was chief guest, called for setting up community-based radio stations without bidding across the country. There are only 50 operational radio stations in private sector in the country, and radio was an effective media and has played an important role, he said.

The participants from different parts of the country, including correspondents of Voice of America in Pakistan, Afghanistan, other global radio networks and Radio Pakistan also discussed opportunities and challenges for radio journalists in Pakistan.

The workshop was organized by the Pakistan Press Foundation, in collaboration with the VOA and International Broadcasting Bureau. Others who spoke at concluding session were senior international journalist Arnold Zeitlin, head of Urdu Service VOA in Washington Razi Rizvi and PPF's Owais Aslam Ali. -PPI