South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) has expressed serious concern about the current economic meltdown and political crises in the country.
In its annual meeting held in Lahore SAFMA demanded to raise minimum wage to Rs 40,000 and reinstate all journalists retrenched in the past years. SAFMA took serious concern about fake news and ongoing abusive competition among the followers of mainstream parties. The regional media body demanded lifting of restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom. SAFMA demanded to dispense with all types of censorship and partisanship among the media outlets.
The participants called upon media houses to restore those analysts and anchors who have been sidelined. They called upon the Shehbaz govt to amend all prevalent media laws that are prohibitive of media freedom. Following leading journalists participated in the meeting: Imtiaz Alam, SAFMA Secretary General Kazim Khan, President CPNE Hussain Naqi, Senior Editor and Secretary HRCP, Shehzada Zulfikar, President PFUJ Saida Fazal, Editor Pakistan Observer Khalid Farooqi, Editor Awaz Ahmad Waleed, News Director PNN, Shahbaz Mian, Siddique Azhar, senior columnist Shehbaz Shaheen, President Press Club Okara Saiful Malook Advocate and over other fifty journalists participated in the meeting.
