KARACHI: Khwaja Shahabuddin, Central Minis­­ter for Information and Broadcasting, yesterday [July 22] underlined the changing role of the Press in the new phase of Pakistan’s national life.

Speaking at a function “an evening with Khwaja Shahabuddin” held by the Pakistan Press Institute at its premises last evening, the Minister called for serious study of the problems facing the nation and a scientific and pragmatic approach for their solution.

He said in pre-Independence days, when we were engaged in a struggle for emancipation from domination of alien forces, our methods were the methods of agitation and demonstration, and a certain militancy of tone was inevitable in the speeches of political workers and writings in the Press.

But, he said, with the attainment of Inde­pen­dence ... circumstances have changed, and added “agitational attitude has to give place to rational and constructive thinking and relentless work”.

Khwaja Shahabuddin expressed happiness that the national Press was displaying greater realisation of the changes in national life with the passage of time. He said it was the professional obligation of the representatives of the Press to make a critical analysis of policies and actions and point out what might appear to them as lapses or shortcomings.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2018