Independent media pre-requisite for democracy: Nizami

Lahore: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Arif Nizami said on Wednesday that free and independent media was pre-requisite for democracy.

Addressing as chief guest at the launching ceremony of a new private television channel here, the minister said that Pakistan has witnessed mushroom growth of electronic media during past one decade.

Stating that there were over 80 satellite TV channels operational in the country, he hoped that the new channel will prove a good addition to that list.He said that in this age of competition, it needed courage to launch a new channel but the proprietor of the channel already has vast experience in print journalism.He appreciated the announcement of Sardar Khan Niazi, the owner of the Roze channel to dedicate the channel to the youth. He said that timing of the launch of the channel was most appropriate as elections are round the corner and over 400 million youth names have been added in the voter list and all political parties are trying to woo them.

Chairman Press Council of Pakistan Shafqat Abbasi said that today the media enjoyed freedom due to sacrifices of the media community. He said that Pakistan’s constitution grants right of freedom of expression and access to information. However he said that the media should show responsibility as nowhere in the world media enjoyed absolute freedom.

Veteran journalist Zahid Malik said that a section of the electronic media was involved in irresponsible journalism.