LAHORE: Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari on Wednesday appreciated the performance of Directorate General Public Relations (DGPR) and Information Department for facilitating journalists during elections and arranging necessary coordination with the stakeholders.
The chief minister expressed the views during a meeting with Provincial Minister for Information and Culture Ahmed Waqas Riaz who called on him at his office. During the meeting, the chief minister also congratulated Information Minister Ahmed Waqas Riaz and his team on best media management. He said the officers and other staff of DGPR and Information Department performed their duties in a professional manner.
They arranged best coordination with the media people to carry out the responsibilities, he added. He said the performance of the department was satisfactory. He hoped that DGPR and Information Department would continue to work with the same zeal and hard work to serve the nation in future as well.
Dr Askari said the media industry was of vital importance to keep the people informed in the present era. He said immediate actions were taken to address the complaints highlighted by the media during the elections. The national media has played a positive role in the electoral process. The media played an effective role in the election process and kept the people informed about the facts, he added. The print and electronic media created necessary public awareness about importance of casting vote through effective messages. That is why voter turnout remained satisfactory, he added.
Dr Askari said the pivotal role of media could not be ignored in continuity and sustainability of democracy in the country. Media has set a good tradition by following the code of conduct of the Election Commission of Pakistan and it has given a proof of professional competence for continuity of democracy while coordination between the media sector and Information Department remained exemplary, concluded the chief minister.
Provincial Minister Ahmed Waqas Riaz briefed the chief minister about the performance of his dempartment. Meanwhile, Punjab Caretaker Chief Minister Dr Hasan Askari has said that tremendous potential for progress and prosperity existed in the society and proper utilisation of talented and professional human resources could open the doors of development and growth in Pakistan.
While talking to the delegation of journalists here on Wednesday, the chief minister said that positive changes in the economic situation after peaceful holding of the elections were a good sign.
He said timely decisions were necessary to ensure good governance. He said that media interconnects government and the people and identification of problems of the people through media helped the policy makers in decision making.
He said, “An independent media is the guardian of societal norms and proactive role of media can not be ignored in the social development of the society”.
In fact, presence of a responsible media is imperative for fulfillment of democratic norms, he said adding that the role played by the media during the recent general elections was commendable as it has proactively worked to sensitise public about the importance of vote.
The caretaker government has fulfilled the responsibility of free and fair elections through impartial decisions, he added. Provincial DGPR Nabeela Ghazanfar was also present on the occasion.
tree plantation: Punjab University Institute of Agricultural Sciences (IAGS) will launch tree plantation campaign on Thursday (today) at 9:30am. PU Vice- Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed will be the chief guest on the occasion.
Farewell:
SP Mujahid Squad/Dolphin Wednesday bade farewell to the recently retired DSP Headquarters Nagis Yasmeen.
During the retirement farewell ceremony, all the officers paid tribute to the services rendered by the DSP Nargis. She was also awarded with an honorary shield.