April 7, 2006	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, April 6: Office-bearers of Muzaffarabad Press Club on Thursday criticized national media organizations for their apathetic attitude towards their condition after the October 8 earthquake.

“Over the last six months, this is the first time someone from our own community has at least listened to the miseries which every one of us had suffered and still undergoing,” they said at a cheque distribution ceremony organized by the South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) for the affected mediapersons.

In total, 33 affected journalists of Muzaffarabad were given cheques collected by Safma under its Journalists Rehabilitation Fund. The families of two journalists who died during the calamity were provided Rs50,000 each, whereas the rest of them were given Rs25,000 each.

Speaking on behalf of the press club, Arif Butt said, “none of the media organizations working in the country had so far approached the affected mediapersons for any kind of help. We wrote to everyone for help but to no avail,” he said.

“Though local journalists in the affected areas of the AJK and NWFP have started coming back to routine life, it hurts when no one from our own community comes to help us,” he noted.

Minhaj Burna, former Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) president, was the chief guest on the occasion.

He appreciated Safma for its initiative to help journalists of the affected areas. However, he impressed upon the affected people to take care of themselves.

Safma secretary general Imtiaz Alam said the amount was just a gesture of solidarity with the affected mediapersons.