LONDON: A Pakistani journalist based in restive tribal region has won the international media award in recognition of his intrepid journalism.Dilawar Khan Wazir who works for the BBC Urdu service from Peshawar was among ten international journalists who were recipients of the awards in their respective field of electronic and print media journalism.Wazir was previously based in South Waziristan where his 14-year-old brother was kidnapped and killed. He also survived an ambush but three other journalists were killed.The media persons were presented with citations and cash award at a function held at the Oxford and Cambridge Club in Central London on Sunday evening. The event was organised by the International Council for Press and Broadcasting.
Earlier, the organisation arranged a conference on “Pakistan’s Media:Challenges in a new political environment” where the speakers debated and discussed the emerging ground realities and the way media is dealing with it.The speakers including those currently based in the UK and the invited ones from Pakistan underscored the importance of journalistic training on modern lines and provision of security for media persons working in hostile environment.The speakers also emphasised upon the need for effective measures to counter extremism and the growing intolerance in the South Asian country.
Chairman, International Council for Press and Broadcasting, William Morris said the events of 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan by USA and the West has given birth to a plethora of conspiracy theories upon which majority of people still believes.
Journalist Saleem Safi was of the view that 90 per cent of Pakistanis believed that 9/11 attacks were engineered by USA and the country is raising hue and cry about the bogey of Al-Qaeda only to advance its own interests.Deputy Information Officer, US Embassy, Islamabad, Courtney Beale defended her country’s policies in South West Asia and said the conspiracy theories needs to be challenged through education, self accountability and by finding remedies to the problems.She said young Pakistani journalists’ especially of the Urdu medium are being sent to USA on training programmes to equip them with latest journalistic training tools and enhance their capabilities. . Beale said USA has launched its largest educational and cultural training exchange programme for Pakistan to help bring about a positive change in the Pakistani society and its attitudes towards USA. – APP
