ISLAMABAD, July 27: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) in collaboration with the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), is holding an international conference on “Journalist’s safety and ethics” in Lahore on August 2.

According to a PFUJ press release, the conference will be addressed among others by Federal Information Minister Sherry Rehman, Leader of the House in the Senate Raza Rabbani, IFJ Secretary-General, Aiden White, Debora Muir from Australia, Sunanda Deshapriya from Sri Lanka, Sukmar Muralitharan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Chairperson Asma Jehangir, former Supreme Court Bar Association President Abid Hasan Manto, HRCP Director I.A. Rehman, Jugno Mohsin, Ejaz Haider, noted scholar Dr Mehdi Hasan, Munoo Bhai, former PFUJ President I.H. Rashid, Sultan Lakhani, Rehmat Shah Afridi, Talat Hussain, Dr Mubarak Ali and other editors, trade union leaders, journalists and columnists.

President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan is also expected to address one of the sessions.

Pakistan's oldest living photojournalist F.E. Chaudhry will also attend the conference. PFUJ’s affiliate PUJ has constituted an organising committee to look after the arrangements.The IFJ and PFUJ delegates are also expected to meet the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

The conference will address key issues confronting the media like safety, ethics, working conditions and media laws, media and democracy. After an interactive dialogue, a Lahore Declaration will also be issued on the occasion.

The summit will be followed by important executive council meetings of the PFUJ and Apnec on August 3 and 4. The meeting will review talks with the government over the non-implementation of the 7th Wage Award and will chalk out a programme for its early implementation. It will also discuss rising incidents of violence against journalists, proposed freedom of information ordinance, press council, cases against journalists and organisational matters.