TAXILA: President of his own faction of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Afzal Butt has said media in Pakistan was passing through a crucial time as it was facing massive curbs on freedom, censorship as well as mass layoffs from the electronic and print media industry.

Addressing the reception arranged in honour of the newly-elected body of National Press Club (NPC) by the Taxila Press club on Sunday, Afzal Butt said that rural journalism had always suffered in Pakistan.

He said out station reporters (OSRs) of electronic media and correspondents of print media were the voice of millions of voice-less people who have a capacity to draw attention to the administration, police, judiciary and legislators to take action and provide protection to the poor.

NPC President Anwar Raza lauded the role of rural media in highlighting the issues and problems of masses living in small cities and towns.

Finance Secretary Nayyer Ali said press freedom was meant to differentiate between right and wrong as mudslinging, character assassination or agenda-setting had nothing to do with journalism.

Taxila Press Club President Rizwan Shah, in his address, said out station reporters are always being targeted and their voices are suppressed by influential land lords, politicians, criminal gangs and even the bureaucracy.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023