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.

Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH), a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists working for freedom of press and protection of human rights while observing the day regrets that despite such campaigns the media and media persons in Pakistan are still to be facilitated with freedom of information and protection to carry their professional duties with freedom.

In a statement issued here on Monday, PUSH pointed out that the journalists in Pakistan face life threats for their courageous investigative reporting and working in militancy-hit areas.

For objective reporting journalists who search for facts face constant threats to their lives in form of veiled threats to their family members and themselves. In addition to such veiled threats, journalists run the risk of harassment, detention, arrest, assault and even murder from influential political, government and other quarters besides the security agencies.

Besides the main hurdle the media faces in Pakistan is inaccessibility to information from different departments including the government which is violating the right to free information, the statement added.

PUSH calls for easy access to information for Pakistani media, besides asking the media organisations to provide some kind of financial protection to journalists including some sort of insurance system for them and their families.

The organisation called upon the national and international organisations working for free media to arrange workshops for media persons so that they could determine effective methods through which individual journalists, journalists’ organisations and press clubs could monitor attacks on press freedom, and support journalists and media organisations that have been victimised

About PUSH:
P ress United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) is a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists from the print, electronic and online media; that support freedom of the press and desire to offer their time, talents, and skills in selfless and meaningful way to serve the mankind through creating mass awareness.

Supported by the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), PUSH is determined to work together with other like-minded civil society organizations, media groups, activists and concern citizens worldwide by publicizing their news stories to global attention and to mobilize action for the implementation of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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For more details, please visit: http://push.pk or send email to: info@push.pk

The journalist consortium, expressing sorrow and grave concern over the incident reported by a columnist of national daily, stressed on the organizations to refrain from adopting such methods of protest strikes which could lead to violation of basic human rights and right of an individual to live.

Last month when some media persons while fulfilling their professional responsibilities questioned the death of a woman patient at a government hospital, the matter turned ugly and the doctors announced a strike due to which hundreds of patients faced difficulties. One such patient was 12-year-old Nighat, who belonged to a poor family in Okara, a district of Punjab and after death of her parents she was diagnosed for high blood sugar disease. She was admitted to Government Hospital in Lahore and after three weeks she was discharged with an advice to regularly take injections for the high blood sugar. She was brought to the Lahore Hospital on March 30th but medical staff refused to treat her or provide her with the needed medicine due to doctors’ strike. After four days when doctors called off the strike, Nighat was admitted in the emergency ward but she could not survived because her sugar level had crossed redline.

“No doubt, the right to protest is a perceived human right arising out of a number of recognized human rights and it plays a vital role in the development of democratic society but such inhuman ways of protest which cost innocent lives are highly condemnable.” PUSH concluded.

Note to Editors:
This story was discussed by Mr. Ammar Chaudhary in his column published in Daily Express on April 26, 2010.

About PUSH:
Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) is a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists from the print, electronic and online media; that support freedom of the press and desire to offer their time, talents, and skills in selfless and meaningful way to serve the mankind through creating mass awareness.

Supported by the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), PUSH is determined to work together with other like-minded civil society organizations, media groups, activists and concern citizens worldwide by publicizing their news stories to global attention and to mobilize action for the implementation of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

For more details, please visit: http://push.pk or send email to: info@push.pk

Panellists at the White House Summit on Entrepreneurship include Eric Schmitt, CEO of Google, Arif Naqvi of Abraaj Capital, and Mohammed Younus of Grameen Bank.

In his June 4 Muslim address in Cairo, Obama said he wanted to “create a new corps of business volunteers to partner with counterparts in Muslim-majority countries.” On Sunday, BMA Capital hosted a pre-Summit reception along with the MIT Enterprise Forum and OPEN (Organisation of Pakistani Entrepreneurs) in Washington DC, where Muddassar Malik, CEO of BMA Funds said “BMA is honoured to have been invited as a delegate to President Obama’s Summit on Entrepreneurship.

We hope to partner with like-minded people and institutions to further socioeconomic growth and development in the Muslim world”. The summit is designed, as Obama put it last year, “to identify how we can deepen ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the United States and Muslim communities around the world.”

PaCCS has improved Pakistan’s economy tremendously, as already seen each day reduction in the business cycle saves Pakistan approximately 3 Billion Rupees. PaCCS dramatically improved the speed of doing business and for the first time, our trade cycle started improving.

PaCCS not only implemented meaningful reforms in Customs, it proved that if we put our mind to it, we could achieve great things. It has decreased the dwell time for customs clearance, which has helped exporters as well as importers in a great way, he said.

PaCCS has minimized tax payers and tax collectors interaction, simplify complex systems and rules, reduce Discretionary Powers, strengthen Monitoring and Accountability and increased transparency.

The PaCCS software product is glitch-free. If necessary, alterations should be made with a single focus on betterment of country, says report. The developers of that revolutionary software should be taken on board while finalizing changes so that transparency can be ensured. Government should ensure that importers not registered as active taxpayers don’t import anything, he demanded.

With such a great system effective in FBR, it is a shame that FBR is bent on shutting it. Recently FBR has gone on record to state that it is shutting down the system and replacing it with PRAL’s one custom. PRAL who we all know has been known for fraudulent activities and the weak technology that it deploys which enables hacking and stealing very easy activities by their very own clerks.

Pakistan is one of the 3 countries in the world that have such a state of the art system and unfortunately for our economy FBR will make sure we become the worst off in the world.

For more information, please visit www.paccs.gov.pk

Few days back, a couple namely Javed and Mumtaz married just six months back ended their lives by jumping in front of fast moving train on Lahorianwala Railway track. “The suicide by Javed and his wife, residents of R-7/109 Chechawatni driven by extreme poverty is shame for the civilized world in common and Pakistan in general”, said PUSH statement, adding the government should initiate some programs for creating jobs and alleviating poverty.

During last six years (2004-2009) 11,000 people commit suicide according to date compiled by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). Poverty is one of the main motivations for these suicide cases, said the statement. The data showed that the period from 2005 to 2008 proved very hard for the poor, and working class people, due to rising poverty, joblessness and skyrocketing commodity prices.

PUSH also asked the government to provide some safety nets for poor class of the country, adding the Benazir Income Support program is not enough to cater to the needs of growing poor class.

About PUSH:
Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) is a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists from the print, electronic and online media; that support freedom of the press and desire to offer their time, talents, and skills in selfless and meaningful way to serve the mankind through creating mass awareness.

Supported by the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), PUSH is determined to work together with other like-minded civil society organizations, media groups, activists and concern citizens worldwide by publicizing their news stories to global attention and to mobilize action for the implementation of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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For more details, please visit: http://push.pk or send email to: info@push.pk

In the second event a reception was hosted at Sir Abdul Razack Mohamed Hall in Phoenix, which was very well attended. The guests included HE Sir Aneerood Jugnauth the President of Republic of Mauritius, the First Lady, The Prime Minister of Mauritius, ex President, number of Ministers, members of National Assembly and diplomatic corps. Besides prominent businessmen local as well as Pakistanis attended the function. After welcome remarks by the High Commissioner, national anthems of both countries were played by Police Band. A cake for commemorating the event was cut by the President, the Prime Minister and the High Commissioner.

Both events were widely covered in the print and electronic media.

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PID

The message further said that Greece’s city-states were pioneers in developing democratic forms of government. The historical and cultural heritage of Greece continues to resonate throughout the modern world, especially in literature, art, philosophy and politics. Greek civilization has a great regard for humanity, however some small Greek anarchist groups are endangering the good name of Greece. Recently a bomb has exploded outside the home of a Pakistani community leader in the Greek capital Athens. PUSH condemns such racist attacks in Greece and hopes that Greek government will take strong measures to protect immigrant communities.

It may be recalled that Greece being a desired destination of many attracts more than 16 million tourists each year and has been an attraction for international visitors since antiquity for its rich and long history and more recently for its Mediterranean coastline and beaches. However, the immigrant communities from Muslim world have been reportedly faced with some anti-immigration sentiments and ire of Greek groups resulting in hostile attacks against immigrants.

About PUSH:
Press United to Serve Humanity (PUSH) is a Pakistan-based non-profit, non-governmental, and non-sectarian consortium of journalists from the print, electronic and online media; that support freedom of the press and desire to offer their time, talents, and skills in selfless and meaningful way to serve the mankind through creating mass awareness.

Supported by the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists), PUSH is determined to work together with other like-minded civil society organizations, media groups, activists and concern citizens worldwide by publicizing their news stories to global attention and to mobilize action for the implementation of the UN Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

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For more details, please visit: http://push.pk or send email to: info@push.pk

People across Pakistan, enthusiastically celebrate this special day of 1940, when Muslims of South-Asia had collectively passed a historic “Pakistan-Resolution” in Lahore and began the noble struggle for an independent Muslim state for themselves. Mr. Sultan assured his audience that following the divine guidelines of Allah, is the only way we can reach the pinnacle of progress as a nation. Shan Foods has a firm commitment to the national and religious principles of Honesty, Hard-Work and Pursuit-for-Excellence, which enables Shan to deliver “Just Perfect” quality. Over the past 3 decades, our products and our Research Approach have received great appreciation from consumers in over 56 countries around the globe, where Shan Food products are exported in large volumes.

The founder and Chairman of Shan Foods Mr. Sikandar Sultan further said, “Shan Foods joins the nation in commemorating the valuable sacrifices of our ancestors and the millions of Muslim families who lost their lives and belongings for attaining an independent country. Shan Foods believes that Pakistan is the symbol of our identity, honor and independence. Any loss to our nation is a collective loss for all the patriotic citizens living in this country.

Shan foods is fully committed to create “JUST PERFECT” authentic tastes and nutrition for its consumers both locally and abroad. The massive quantities of high-quality food products exported by Shan Foods, helps the national economy in earning valuable foreign exchange and creating thousands of jobs for the hard-working Pakistani workers.

About Shan Foods:
Established in 1981 Shan Foods (Pvt) Ltd. prides it self in hiring the most talented and educated people of the country to achieve this distinction. The Company continuously emphasizes on Human-Resource Training & Development through various programs that are aimed at enhancing the employees’ quality of life, while enabling Shan Foods to offer better quality products through improved performance. www.shanfoods.com

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For further information:

Rizwan Shah
SHAMROCK Communications (Pvt) Ltd
Call 042-35861219 Cell: 0305-5740715

In her message, the Speaker said that 70 years ago, on this day the Muslim of South Asia, under the leadership of Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Lahore, resolved to work for independent Muslim state. The Lahore Resolution which was came to be known as Pakistan Resolution, imparted a new vigor and impetus to the movement of independence gave Muslim new sense of purpose and direction.

The Speaker said that for centuries, non-Muslims lived peacefully, enjoyed complete religious freedom under the Muslim rule in sub-continent, however the government which came in power under government of India Act, 1935 give a rude shock to the Muslims forcing them that their rights would not be protected with in a united India. “They were thus left no choice except to demand independence not only from the Yoke of Colonialism but also from the Hindu domination”, she said.

The Speaker said that the Quaid-e-Azam embodied Islamic principles of tolerance and humanism which in courage him to rally around, not only Muslim public opinion but also support from other minorities to demand and create a separate Muslim homeland. “It is a tribute to his leadership and honesty of purpose that with in short period of seven years he secured Pakistan against heavy odds through peaceful means” she said that.

She said that while celebrating Pakistan day it was incumbent upon us to resolve the spirit of national unity and follow the Quaid’s guiding principles of unity, faith and discipline “let us make a firm resolve to make all out efforts to achieve the objectives of creation of Pakistan and also to make Pakistan a strong and prosperous, democratic country where the will of the people, equality, justice and brotherhood reign supreme” she said.

Madam Speaker said that democracy was best solution of all ours problems, therefore on this suspicious occasion let us resolved to work hard to strengthening democracy in Pakistan. She said that democracy in Pakistan at work and it was the responsibility of every citizen to work for strengthening democratic institutions in the country.

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PID