Media importance increased for spreading authentic info after outbreak of COVID-19

ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Akbar Hussain Durrani said that newspapers were not the source for spreading Coronavirus so there was no proposal under consideration to slap ban on printing of newspapers.
He also said that the government would not impose any kind of ban on TV Channels.
In an exclusive talk with IMI News Agency here, the Federal Secretary Information & Broadcasting said that the importance of media increased immensely especially in the aftermath of outbreak of COVID-19 so no question arose to slap ban on printing of newspapers or airing TV channels. He said the importance of media increased manifold because these were authentic sources of communicating accurate information to masses. He said that now the responsibility for spreading information lied on the shoulders of the media. “We expect that the media will help the government to convey accurate information to masses” he maintained.
He said that the media should launch special campaign to create awareness among the masses related to combating COVID-19 Virus. The media, he said, would have to create awareness among the masses about the ways and means to ensure preventive from eruption of COVID-19 Virus.
The Federal Secretary said that so far one case of Coronavirus diagnosed among employers of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s Cyber Wing and instructions were issued to provide all kind of health facilities. The concerned officers were in close contact with the employee who was diagnosed having suffering from COVID-19 Virus, he added.
He said that if any employees of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting or its attached departments and wings diagnosed with COVID-19 he or she should contact with Mohisteen Alvi, joint secretary of our Ministry as they all would be helped for providing health facilities.
“We are not sacred of Corona but we will have to fight with effectively” he further said and added that they were discharging their assigned task but all employees were directed to comply with placed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure their safety.
Akbar Durrani, who had earlier served at different important positions including Chief Secretary Punjab and other federal ministries during his carrier, said that experienced employees were serving into Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and some officers possessed experience of over 30 years. The Foreign Office has sought views of Information Ministry for appointing officers of information group to serve into Pakistani embassies in African countries as Press Counselors and Press Attaches and the Ministry agreed to this proposal.
To another query regarding questions raised on the summary of appointment of press attaches and press counselors, he said that they dispatched replies of all queries and if more question arose they would reply them promptly. He said that all those officers who served at good foreign stations they would not be given similar stations. With approval of Prime Minister, he said the foreign posting process of information group officers would be accomplished. – IMI