ISLAMABAD, Dec 21: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf urged the nation on Friday to shun despondency because desperation and hopelessness were a sin.

He said Pakistan had a bright future and the nation should make concerted efforts to make it strong and prosperous. “The entire nation must rise together irrespective of their religious and political affiliations, for the solidarity of Pakistan,” he said.

Speaking at the launch of the book entitled “Reconciliation, Reforms and Revival”, the prime minister said media in Pakistan was fully independent. “We take pride that it is playing an eminent and effective role as a watchdog.”

He said the government record bore testimony to the fact that it had in no way tried to influence or restrict the media freedom.

“The media should avoid projecting things that lead to feelings of dejection and despair about the future of Pakistan.”

Mr Ashraf urged the media to focus on factual reporting and never compromise on accuracy of facts, adding the government was concerned when facts were compromised and opinions were presented as facts.

He said that in news reporting there was a constant struggle between speed and accuracy. “My advice to the media is that accuracy should never be compromised at the altar of ratings.”

The prime minister said that Pakistan being a nuclear power and a determined nation would foil desperate attempts of a few people to malign the religion and the country.

He said Malala Yousufzai had emerged as a beacon of light against a mindset which would not succeed in its nefarious designs.

The 378-page book published by the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications goes beyond ‘official statistics’ to include perspectives from external contributors.—APP