Islamabad: World Press Freedom Day is an occasion to remind the world of the importance of protecting the fundamental human right of freedom of expression, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Delegation of the European Union in Pakistan celebrated World Press Freedom Day here in Islamabad. The discussion panellists included Iqbal Khattaq from Reporters without Borders, Nasir Ayaz, GM PEMRA, Ghazi Salahuddin from the Human Rights Commission, Haroon Rashid representing BBC and Shaukat Khattaq from SAMAA TV, Peshawar.

Apart from representatives of press and media offices based in Islamabad, journalists from national news papers and leading regional news papers participated in the event and highlighted the problem areas and challenges they face. The federal minister for information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira was the chief guest and session was moderated by the Head of Delegation of the European Union, H.E. Excellency Jan de Kok.

Kaira has said that PPP government believes in freedom of press as free media guarantees sustainable democracy in the country.

With violence against media professionals constituting one of the greatest threats to freedom of expression today, a one minute silence was observed in remembrance of all the Pakistani reporters who lost their lives to capture the true meaning of journalism at the start of the programme.

Different aspects of media and the role a free press in streghtening democracies and fostering development were stressed upon by the panellists who also gave their respective recommendations in the light of current challenges faced by the local media.