Eid gift distributed to women journalists

Islamabad : To recognise women journalists for their hard work and contribution in Pakistani journalism and honor them for continuing their professional duties despite COVOD-19 pandemic, the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) held an event to distribute Eid gift to the women media persons of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Around 100 women journalists from print and electronic media participated in the event, which was held in the National Press Club. Press Information Officer Shahira Shahid was the chief guest on the occasion. The event was also attended by General Secretary Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) Nasir Zaidi, Former President PFUJ Afzal But, former President National Press Club Shakeel Anjum, eminent journalist and unionist Fauzia Shahid, RIUJ President Aamir Sajjad Syed and RIUJ General Secretary Asif Bhatti.

Speaking on this occasion, Shahira Shahid said that Pakistani women are playing very important role in all walks of life. She said that such events can contribute in encouraging women media persons so that they can perform their professional duties with more enthusiasm. She praised the good work done by the women journalists and said that the government is aware of its responsibility of taking measures to provide enabling working environment for women media persons. She also stressed the need of organizing more such events in future.

PFUJ General Secretary Nasir Zaidi urged women journalists to keep enhancing their abilities and study history to develop better understanding of the issues. He said that PFUJ is proud of the women media persons and will continue such activities to engage and encourage them.

Fauzia Shahid said that women journalists of this time are lucky to have a supporting environment both for their professional work and their activities in unions and press clubs. She disagreed to any categorisation of women or men journalists and discriminatory terms used for describing the hard work of women journalists such as “They worked Mardanawar (Like a man).”

Afzal Butt said that the initiative was taken to honor and encourage women journalists and said that such activities would continue in the future. He said that women media persons are working in frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic informing, educating and warning public about the virus and its impact. “We have seen appreciation for doctors, paramedics, police army so we thought of celebrating the hard work of women journalists who remained at the fore line all the time,” he said.

The speakers appreciated the effort of the members of organizing committee for implementing the idea in such a short time. At the end, the Eid gifts were distributed among the women media persons.