Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Wednesday urged media to help remove misunderstandings and build an atmosphere of peace and friendship among SAARC countries.
Addressing the South Asia Media Summit in Islamabad, Raja said the region needed peace and economic development. He said unresolved political disputes were undermining the potential of the region to emerge as a robust economic grouping. He said responsibility rested on the shoulders of the regional leaders to show statesmanship and courage to resolve differences. He said Pakistan attached great importance to SAARC and had fervently supported the principles and objectives of its charter.
“We believe that SAARC has a great potential to become a model of regional cooperation,” he said, adding that Pakistan had played a vital role in this regard and was ready to go an extra-mile.
Raja said media had become a soft power with the potential to embrace all aspects of the lives of nations. He said media was bulwark of fundamental rights and human liberties and acted as a watchdog against government excesses. It should, however, remain within limits of moral and professional ethics, social values and adhere to the regulatory mechanism in place lest it encourages chaos in the society.
He said media could enjoy freedom only in a democratic dispensation and democracy could flourish in an environment where media was independent.
The PM said the PPP government had an abiding commitment to freedom of expression. He said media enjoyed complete freedom and is contributing to the strengthening of democracy in the country.
He said the government would continue to protect media freedom and facilitate it in every possible manner. He also praised the role played by APNS in promoting people-to-people contact.