Journalists’ welfare

ISLAMABAD, Jan 7: The Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) will invite office-bearers of major press clubs and the representatives of other media organisations to initiate dialogue and discussion on safety, security, protection and welfare of mediapersons.

This was stated by Raja Shafqat Abbasi, the chairman of the press council, while talking to office-bearers of Crime and Court Reporters Association Rawalpindi, who met him at the PCP secretariat.

Mr Ababsi said efforts would be made to create consensus in framing a uniform regulation aimed to enhance the unity and strength of the journalist community.

He said PCP was launching short courses for media persons in collaboration with universities, including Allama Iqbal Open University, Punjab University etc.

It may be mentioned that the PCP ordinance was promulgated in 2002 but the council was made operational last year after appointment of its chairman. The council has been playing the role of a bridge between the masses and media institutions.

The PCP is an important forum for redress of grievances of the masses as well as the media. It consists of 19 members, including the chairman.— A Reporter

Paragliding festival

MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 7: A 2-day paragliding festival scheduled to be held on Saturday was deferred by the organisers till Sunday (today) owing to heavy snowfall at the high altitude take-off point.

The festival has been organised by ‘Valley Trackers,’ a local chain of rest houses, in collaboration with the AJK Tourism Department to promote adventurous sports in the area.

Khawaja Owais, the organiser, told Dawn that over a dozen pilots had arrived in the town on Saturday morning but they could not carry out paragliding due to heavy snowfall in Sarran, the take-off point located at the height of nearly 7,000 feet to the east of AJK capital.

However, two or three events of motor-gliding were held in the afternoon at the Muzaffarabad airport, he said.

Meanwhile, the AJK Tourism Department conducted a musical evening at a local hotel. — Staff Correspondent

Crime increases in Taxila

TAXILA, Jan 7: An alarming increase in crimes including abduction, robbery, burglary, vehicle and motorcycle snatching and other fatal incidents has been witnessed in Taxila and Wah Cantonment during 2011.

The official crime data available with this reporter showed that during the year the city witnessed 35 per cent hike in crime rate as three police stations of the tehsil registered 1,721 cases compared to 1,510 cases registered during 2010.

The sources said that the police attitude remained lethargic as usual to curb the crimes as gambling, liquor selling and prostitution were going on unabated in Nawababad, Ahmed Nagar, Ismaeelabad, Chachi Mohallah, Asifabad, Bearer No 3, Gadwal and other areas.

The residents believe that the police show decline in crime instead of curbing the activities of the criminals. The police performance is evaluated through the conventional methods including weekly and monthly registration of crime cases, severity of cases and number of FIRs.

Mostly the police change the subject of FIR as robbery cases are dubbed as theft incidents and abductions are declared as missing of the persons. It has also been learnt that the police did not register the cases of street crimes especially mobile or purse snatching to keep the crime graph low.

When contacted, Sub Divisional Police Officer DSP Raja Taifour Akhter said that the police were making all-out efforts to ensure security of the residents. He said that ten different gangs had been busted and as many as 57 outlaws were arrested therefore, the cases of abduction, abduction of ransom and robbery had reduced. He said that the police would make further efforts to reduce the crime rate.— Correspondent