Media urged to contribute in eradicating extremism

Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Senator Pervaiz Rashid Wednesday urged media and journalists to launch a pensive Zarb-e-Azb for getting rid of the menaces of extremism and terrorism permanently.

"A successful military operation Zarb-e-Azb is underway against terrorists, in which their (terrorists) infrastructure, factories and training centers are being destroyed, besides making arrests of their handlers and financers. But, on the front of conflict reporting, there is a need of launching a pensive Zarb-e-Azb against the extremist elements," he said. The minister was addressing the closing ceremony of a four-day media training workshop covering conflict terrorism and defence issues here at the Information Service Academy (ISA).

Highlighting responsibility of media men, he said without the pensive Zarb-e-Azb, it would be difficult to completely wipe out the disgruntled elements from the country. Pervaiz Rashid said Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) always taught His followers to promote love, brotherhood and peaceful co-existence.

Unfortunately, he said, followers of other religions across the world were taking guidance from the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) and progressing, but "We have forgotten them." The minister said the journalists should file news stories based on facts without any biased comments and approach, so that they would be regarded as good reporters in future, contrary to those who filed distorted stories during the war between Soviet Union and Vietnam and faced criticism by the later generations.