KHAR: Speakers at a seminar held here the other day urged the journalists to raise awareness among people about reducing risks posed by landmines and other unexploded ordnance in the region.

The seminar titled ‘the role of journalists in promotion of risk awareness and safer behaviour in the society’ was organised by Pakistan Red Crescent Society’s local chapter in Khar.

Scores of journalists from both the electronic and print media participated in the daylong event.

PRCS officials informed the journalists about the objectives of the conference, telling them that the event was aimed at orienting the mediapersons about the hazards of unexploded ordnances in the region and to sensitise them to the way to promote risk awareness and safer behaviour in the community.

PRCS representatives, including provincial coordinator of community based risk awareness behaviour Hamad Yousaf, local chapter programme coordinator Shah Khalid and programme officer Imran Khan said PRCS was struggling to promote risk awareness and safer behaviour in Bajaur as different sort of unexploded and unexpired ordnances, including landmines, hand grenades, cluster ammunitions and other explosive remnants, had become a great hazard to the lives of local residents.

The journalists were told that most people, especially women and children, were not aware about the hazards of the unexploded ordnance, as a result they were becoming the frequent victims. They said scores of unpleasant incidents owing to lack of awareness about the unexploded ordnance had occurred in different areas of the district, leaving several dead and wounded.

Shah Khalid said about 70 persons had been disabled due to the explosions occurred in various parts of the region since 2008.

The speakers were of the view creating risk awareness and safe behaviour in the community was the best and effective way to overcome the hazards of unexploded explosives in the region.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2019