Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Thursday reiterated the government resolves to address all forms of violent conflicts faced to the nation.
The minister said the nation has successfully overcome the menace of terrorism and it would fight similar conflicts with equal vigor and resolve. He appreciated Pakistan Peace Collective and all the partnering organization for organ
izing the international con
ference on media and conflict when it was most needed.
The information minister expressed these views while addressing the two days International Con
ference on Media and Conflict 2019 organized by Pakistan Peace Collective – a research and communication project of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasti
ng, which concluded today.
The Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain was the chief guest for the closing session, while Minister of State for Interior, Shehryar Khan Afridi chaired an important plenary ‘the rise of terrorism and media perception on Pakistan’ alongside senior journalists and top academicians.
The con
ference was the first government-led academic initiative in the country, which highlighted and assessed the Pakistani media’s role in covering conflict and violence in the country and beyond. It featured national and internationally acclaimed scholars, academics and senior journalists who analyzed media discourses and their impact on conflicts, including terrorism and violent extremism. The con
ference also showcased the latest research on media discourse on extremism, terrorism and violence in the country, and also assessed how conflict reporting and peace journalism can be institutionalized both in the media industry and university level across Pakistan.
Sharing his thoughts on the con
ference, the Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) Shabbir Anwar said that the con
ference served as a platform for top scholars, academics, journalists and counter extremism specialists from Pakistan and across the world to sensitize and educate people on conflict reporting, and combating violent extremism on the communications front. He said that his organization will keep working for standard
izing and professional
izing conflict reporting alongside its initiatives for peace building in the country.
The con
ference on media and conflict features global scholars li
ke Dr. Rune Ottosen, Oslo Metropolitan University Norway, Dr. Elisabeth Eide Oslo Metropolitan University Norway, Dr. Jake Lynch University of Sydney Australia, noted journalist Owen Bennett Jones, Dr. Hassan Abbas, National Defence University, USA, besides a galaxy of celebrated names from Pakistan’s academic and media landscape.
The con
ference was inaugurated a day before by President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi while Minister of Education Mr. Shafqat Mehmood and Federal Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mr. Shafqat Jalil were part of different plenary sessions.
The organizers of the con
ference hope that the con
ference will provide stepping stone for standard
izing conflict reporting so that the media’s power and influence in opinion making could be used for conflict mitigation and resolution.
Published in Daily
Times, March 1st 2019.