ALTAF HAMID RAO,
MIRPUR (AJK): DGPR of AJK Raja Azhar Iqbal said that the AJK government was making all out sincere efforts to facilitate the journalist fraternity with all possible facilities to ensure the encouragement and promotion of healthy journalistic activities in the region harmonious to the need of the modern era.
He expressed these views while talking to a journalists delegation hailing from various parts of AJK which called on him under the leadership of Vice Chairman of the state-run Azad Jammu and Kashmir Press Foundation Sardar Zulfiqar Ali in the State’s metropolis on Wednesday.
The delegation discussed with the DGPR series of issues related to the welfare and professional skills building of the journalists fraternity affiliated with the international, national and regional press.
The Director General Public Relations reiterated the state government’s resolving the issues regarding housing facilities for homeless working media men in all AJK districts, besides the pending applications for securing membership of AJK Press Foundation and the exceptionally delayed payment by various AJK government departments against the advertisement issued through the PID and the concerned representatives of the national and AJK State newspapers and media houses.
Raja Azhar further said that government was taking serious measures for the betterment of the journalists in AJ&K.
He said the government firmly believe in freedom of expression in the state and determined to place more welfare funds in the next fiscal for Foundation to ameliorate the life style of the journalist community in AJK.
The DGPR disclosed that the forthcoming (2019-20) budget of Azad Jammu & Kashmir will be of exceptional nature containing due relief for uplift of all segments of the masses including the journalist fraternity across Azad Jammu & Kashmir, of all ensuing issues.
Azhar sought all out sincere efforts of seasoned and senior journalists in AJK for the promotion of healthy journalism in Azad Jammu & Kashmir in view of the sensitivity of this base camp of the Kashmir freedom struggle.
“AJK, the base camp of the Kashmir freedom movement, can not afford the exercise of irresponsible journalism at this crucial stage of the freedom struggle”, he underlined.
The AJK DGPR said that the state government has devised an integrated plan for the welfare of the journalist community under the prime spirit to encourage healthy journalism across AJK. He said that colossal funds had been placed in the current fiscal year budget for the betterment and uplift of the media-men both representing national and the State press through out AJK.
Underlining the priorities to this direction, Azhar revealed that the integrated plan also included the construction of similar media colonies and press clubs in rest of the AJK districts besides at the tehsil level through out AJK to provide one-roof facilities to the working journalists for performing their professional duties in swift and conducive atmosphere.
He said that sites were also being reserved for the construction of press clubs in the newly-constructed abodes of Mangla dam raising project affectees including New Mirpur city and four small towns located at Dadayal, Chakswari, Islamgarh and Siakh for the local media persons.
Raja Azhar Iqbal emphasized the need of fighting against yellow journalism besides to ensure the survival of healthy journalism from the current reign of illiterate and vested interest in the State. He suggested to the journalists to utilize their energies for the completion of the sacred mission of healthy journalism besides for getting this noble profession rid of black-sheep from the ranks of this fourth pillar of the state.
He also urged for initiating practical steps for the reformation of the journalists to groom quality journalism in line with the needs of this noble profession. “The government will entertain the genuine and working journalists serving the nation and the country with missionary zeal by always accepting healthy criticism on the performance of the government”, he assured.