Media coverage of security issues discussed at Awkum

PESHAWAR: People from various walks of life discussed media coverage of security issues at a seminar in Garden Campus of Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (Awkum) on Thursday.

Representatives from the Police Department, academia, students and administrative officials attended the event, titled “Security Issues and Role of Media”.While moderating the event, the department chairman Shiraz Paracha welcomed the participants and introduced the guests.

Speakers discussed the relationship between the police, media and society. They said there was a gap between the police and society and it needs to be bridged. In his speech, Additional IG Mian Asif stated that they visited the department to attend the discussion with the aim of bridging the gap between the police and journalists.

“Crime happens everywhere. But it is not just the responsibility of the police force to fight crime, all walks of life should play their role to this end,” he the police official said, adding that though the United States has more resources and equipment in today’s world, the crime rate there is also high.

He said the incumbent provincial government has raised the salaries of the police force and now policemen in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtun-khwa get equal salaries. “Besides other reforms in the force, the police are now given the same uniforms that are prepared in Wah factories for the army personnel,” he added.

Journalists on the occasion asked the police officials to discourage yellow journalism and to give information to journalists when needed. They said the Police Department needs to appoint capable public information officers who can write news stories well and communicate with the media in appropriate manner.

The police officials also called for discouraging yellow journalism and said negative people should be taken to task whether they are in media or police.

At the end, Shiraz Paracha thanked the participants and said the event was meant to clear misunderstanding between the police, journalists and society in general. He said more such events would be organised to raise awareness in society on various issues.