Times Report
PESHAWAR: A three-day orientation and training workshop on crime reporting for young parliamentarians and budding journalists from the newly merged districts (NMDs) concluded at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly press gallery on Wednesday.
The event was organised by the Directorate of Youth Affairs, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in collaboration with the Pakistan Media Club, and brought together young reporters from Khyber, North and South Waziristan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai and Kurram.
On the opening day, senior journalist Mehmood Jan Babar conducted a session on the fundamentals of responsible crime reporting. He underlined the role of media in strengthening democracy and accountability, stressing the need for ethical, fact-based journalism and discouraging sensationalism.
The second day featured a session by senior journalist and trainer Lehaz Ali, who shared his experience of covering violence, extremism and governance issues in conflict zones. He advised participants to maintain accuracy, neutrality and respect for victims’ dignity, while also pointing out the specific challenges faced by tribal journalists, including security threats and lack of access to information.
On the final day, Crimes and Terrorism Journalists Forum president Azmat Gul spoke on the risks of reporting crime and terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal districts. He urged young reporters to adopt safety measures, build reliable verification networks and remain resilient and impartial.
According to organisers, the participation of journalists from the NMDs enriched the sessions, as their questions and first-hand experiences generated two-way learning. For many participants, it was their first exposure to a structured training session in the assembly’s press gallery.
At the closing session, Director Sports and Youth Affairs Dr Nauman praised the enthusiasm of participants and said the government would continue to provide professional opportunities for the tribal youth. Pakistan Media Club chairman Dr Zia Khan also highlighted the significance of journalism from the NMDs and assured support for future capacity-building programmes.
Press Gallery General Secretary Rasool Dawar earlier opened the concluding session and thanked trainers, participants and organisers for their contribution.
The initiative was widely welcomed as an important step towards equipping young journalists of the merged districts with professional and ethical reporting skills.
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