ISLAMABAD: Senior professionals from the broadcast media have formed a 16-member executive committee to run the affairs of the newly established Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND).

The executive committee will complete membership of the first-ever body of senior TV and digital journalists aimed at promoting independence of media and freedom of expression guaranteed in the Constitution and the universally acknowledged Human Rights charter of the United Nations.

The association will also contribute towards providing opportunities for training television and digital journalists to promote an independent media working environment.

At a meeting held recently, Azhar Abbas of Geo News was elected AEMEND’s first president, Mohammad Malick of Hum News and Mohammad Usman of Neo TV vice presidents and Ammad Yousaf of ARY News general secretary.

Other members of the executive committee include Farhan Mallick, director news of Samaa TV; Zahid Mazhar, director news of DawnNews; Ayaz Khan, group editor of Express News; Rashid Mahmood, director news of Aaj TV; Habib Akram of Dunya TV; Atif Fakhar, director news of GNN; Farooq Majeed, director news of 92 News; Ghulam Mustafa Jarwar, director news of KTN News; Hafiz Tariq, director news of NewsOne; Mian Tahir, director news of Channel 24; and Mubarak Ali, controller news of Khyber TV.

Mahmud Jan, director news of Mashriq TV; Noshad Ali, director news of Capital TV; and Fawad Khursheed, director news of Public News, also attended the meeting.

Senior members of the electronic media, including Hamid Mir, Fahd Husain, Amir Mateen, Asma Shirazi, Arifa Noor, Amber Shamsi, Gharida Farooqi, Ayaz Khan and Haroon Rashid also attended the meeting and gave their input on issues related to the state of media in the country.

The secretary general of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, Jabbar Khattak, oversaw the proceedings.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2020