KARACHI, April 22: The Federal Minister of Information & Media Development, Nisar A. Memon, has appealed to students of Karachi University to cast their votes for President Gen Pervez Musharraf in the referendum.

Speaking at a seminar on “Role of Students in National Development,” organized by the Department of Information and Media Affairs, University of Karachi, on Monday he described holding of referendum as a “constitutional step,” and said it was being held after consultations with constitutional experts, the National Security Council and the federal cabinet.

“Some people have approached the Supreme Court to seek its opinion whether the referendum is constitutional or not, and I assure you that the government would obey the decision of the apex court,” he emphasized.

He said President Musharraf gave due importance to the opinion of students on important issues. He expressed the opinion that the government believed in the freedom of the press and both the print and electronic media in the country were now free to present balanced reports and views.

The ministry of information was trying to make the Associated Press of Pakistan a national news service, he said.

The minister announced that he was taking steps to introduce internship in the national media organizations, and students would be allowed to get 3-6 months paid training at PTV, Radio Pakistan and print media organizations.

He announced a donation of Rs500,000 for the underconstruction, Dr Feroz Ahmed Institute of Mass communications.

He also announced that special programmes for students of Karachi University on PTV would be arranged, and asked the vice chancellor to send a representation of students from the university.

His address was followed by a question-answer session and students asked questions from him.

The KU Vice Chancellor, Dr Zafar S. Saify, and the Media Adviser KU, Dr Shakilur Rahman, also spoke.

DEMO: Scores of students from the Islami Jamiat Talaba staged a protest demonstration at the University of Karachi against the suspension of classes on the occasion of the federal information minister’s visit to the university.