April 2, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 1: The media need to be supported by civil society organisations to highlight human rights issues in their true perspective. This view was shared by various leaders of political pasrties and mediapersons at a seminar, ‘Human Rights and Media’ organized by Fazaldad Human Rights Institute here on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Dr Babar Awan said there was no mechanism to enforce human rights in the country. He said the 1973 Constitution envisaged the establishment of tribunals for redressal of human rights abuses but this remained an unfinished agenda.

Mr Awan said a few had monopoly on power whereas majority were barred from taking part in decision-making process. He said 800 persons were under custody on charges of having links to terrorism, without having an opportunity to have recourse to due process of law.

He said human rights violations were rampant across the globe, adding that majority had no voice and their grievances remained unattended.

AAJ TV Bureau Chief Syed Talat Hussain said media lacked support structure to cover human rights issues in its entirety. He said every human right issue had political, social or economic dimension attached to it, adding that media faced certain constraints in projecting the issues in a holistic manner.

He said electronic media’s outreach and permeating power were extraordinary but it could not assume the role of a campaigner and reformist as this could undermine the objectivity attached to the profession.

Mr Hussain said media could report but not rectify the human rights violations.

Minister of State for Information Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli said media was free under the present regime and host of TV channels and FM radio stations operating in the private sector had great opportunity to promote human rights.

She said a joint struggle was needed to prevent human rights violations, adding that education and awareness among the masses were vital to achieve this objective.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khusro Bakhtiar said there was need to create sensitivity to human rights, and media could play an important role in this regard. He said negative projection of the image of Islam provoked Muslim reaction.

Media Adviser to the Interior Ministry Dr Masoom Abidi said Islam was on trial in western media, adding that it was projecting a negative image of Muslims. He said western media had become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Resident editor of an English newspaper M. Ziauddin said media was all about human rights, covering issues round the clock. He stressed the need of having people in the field with a fair degree of awareness of social conditions in their area of operation for promotion of human rights.

He said media inspired the nation from Karachi to Khyber in the wake of October earthquake.