ISLAMABAD, Aug 25: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday said the External Publicity (EP) Wing of the ministry would be further strengthened to effectively project the country’s image abroad.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a specialized training programme for fresh information officers at the Information Service Academy (ISA).

Mr Ahmed pointed out that Minister of State for Information Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli had been assigned the task of strengthening the EP wing.

He urged those associated with media to work hard for securing a bright and respectable future. He called upon the new information officers to work hard as this was the time when they could lay a foundation for achieving excellence in the field.

He announced that a van for the academy would soon be provided for transportation of the course participants.

Information Secretary Shahid Rafi, in his vote of thanks, expressed the hope that the new entrants would equip themselves with the latest teaching in the field of mass communication and strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of the academy which was essential for better learning.

He said steps would be taken to engage skilled professionals from the private sector as speakers under the directives of the information ministry.

Earlier, in his welcome address, ISA Director-General Kamran Ali Khan highlighted the aims and objectives of the course.—APP