ISLAMABAD, Jul 18 (APP): Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Shahera Shahid on Monday said the media’s role was crucial in promoting national solidarity.

Addressing a dialogue titled “Role of Mass Media in Promotion of
National Unity” here at the Information Service Academy here, she said
the information ministry had a close relationship with the mass media
and despite facing many challenges, it had to play a critical role in
modern times.

“The world is changing and we have to take along all the media,” she added.

Shahera Shahid said the ministry was organizing various events
regarding Pakistan’s 75th anniversary to celebrate the creation of the
country in a befitting manner.

She said ISA had organized an important discussion regarding the role
of mass media in promoting national unity.

ISA Director General Saeed Javed said multiple events were being
organized by the Information Academy in connection with Pakistan’s
75th anniversary.

Informative quiz programmes were also being arranged about the country’s history in which students from different educational institutions would participate, he added.
Former Federal Information Secretary Ashfaq Gondal said that the
common man’s security and rights were needed to be ensured for
national solidarity.

He said instead of making the education system a profitable business,
it had to be aligned with the national and modern requirements.

Ahmed Talal, Hafsa Batul, Hamid Zahoor, Akhtar Javed, Sikandar
Mehmood, Safdar Gardezi, Hameed Alam, Tahirim Ahsan, Sadia Aslam, Saba
Yasir and Sidra Hussain participated in the discussion.

Well-known journalist Munir Ahmed and former secretary Ashfaq Ahmed
Gondal served as judges of the competition.

Sidra Hussain, Hameed Alam and Hafsa Batul were declared as first,
second and third position holders respectively.

The Information Secretary distributed awards among the participants
who secured prominent positions in the competition.