KARACHI, May 1: The media in Pakistani has played an important role in promoting and strengthening democracy in the country, former information minister, Senator Nisar A. Memon said.

Mr Memon was presiding over a seminar on “Role of media in current global perspectives”, organized by the Press and Publication Committee, Arts Council of Pakistan, here on Tuesday evening.

He said the freedom of the press was necessary for democracy and the media of the country protected and projected the nation’s interests.

Appreciating the role of media, Nisar Memon said the Pakistan press had played its due role effectively in difficult situations.

He said according to the United Nations’ human rights’ charter, every person had a right to information. And no country had the power to hold this right while every state had the responsibility to protect this right to information. It would help the media, especially in extending information to the people.

He said all the means of communication covered the foreign policy, economic and political polices of the country and they served the country as well as the nation.

The present media, he said, had drawn the attention of people towards current and more touchy issues, such as ‘Karo-Kari’ (killing on charge of illicit relations), and also threw light on various similar critical issues.

Nisar Memon said besides this, the media did not forget its role to expose the problems of society.

He said it was good that a healthy competition was growing among the media with the launching of various channels. They provide people with information, education and entertainment.

The senator said the education system of the country was moving towards progress and the economics was also improving and behind this the media was playing the role of shedding light on government policies.

He suggested that the private sector, especially the philanthropists and resource persons, should play their role in promoting a positive media in the country.

It was the responsibility of the media to promote national interests besides professional journalism and extending help in keeping the freedom of the press.

Speaking at the seminar, Prof Zakariyya Sajid said the present pressure of international crises on Pakistan had had paradoxical effects on the country’s media.

He said the press was considered the fourth pillar of any country and a vibrant media was founded on competition, professionalism and thirst for knowledge.

The honorary treasurer of the ACP, Rizwan Ahmed Siddiqui. said in the present scenario the media had become an effective tool.

He said all nations were using the media to present and describe their point of view in front of other nations.

He said without proper use of the media the position of a country could not be clarified effectively before the international community and clever nations are using this tool very successfully.

The chairperson of the International Relations Department of Karachi University, Prof Talat A. Vizarat, said we should strengthen the media and eliminate unnecessary things.—APP