By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: Sindh Governor Syed Muhammad Nihal Hashmi has described free, responsible and dignified journalism as a cornerstone of democracy, saying freedom of expression must go hand in hand with national interest and professional responsibility.
He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) at Governor House. The delegation was led by CPNE Secretary General Ghulam Nabi Chandio.
The governor said local government institutions were the foundation of democracy and provided an effective mechanism for delivering public services. He added that the office of the Sindh governor was a trust of the people and said he would continue to perform his responsibilities with honesty, transparency and fairness.
Recalling his oath of office, Hashmi said he had pledged to remain free from prejudice, dishonesty, injustice, arrogance and pride. He said he valued the guidance, consultation and constructive suggestions of members of the journalist community.
Hashmi highlighted the role of journalists in guiding society, raising public awareness and strengthening democratic values. He described the media as an important pillar of democracy, particularly in promoting accountability and encouraging informed public debate.
During the meeting, members of the CPNE delegation called for further improvements to Sindh’s motorway network and urged the authorities to review the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) ordinance.
The delegation stressed that legislation concerning the media should be introduced only after meaningful consultation with all relevant stakeholders. The representatives also called for practical measures to address the challenges facing the media industry and improve working conditions for journalists.
The delegation included Hassan Abbas, Muhammad Arif Baloch, Muneeza Seham, Qazi Asad Abid, Maqsood Yousuf, Muhammad Usman, Abdul Rehman Sami, Hassan Nisar, Mahmood Alam Khalid, Muhammad Kanwar, Mudassar Alam and Bashir Ahmed.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the government and the media community while promoting responsible journalism, freedom of expression and democratic values in Sindh.
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