Roundtable discussion held to shape first media, info literacy strategy
The session brought together members of the National Assembly, parliamentarians from the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, media professionals, communication strategists, and academic experts to discuss the integration of Media and Information Literacy into Pakistan's national policy frameworks.
Held at PIPS Seminar Room-II, the event served as a platform to deliberate on how MIL can serve as a tool to combat disinformation, foster critical thinking, and build democratic resilience among citizens, particularly youth.
The event commenced with welcoming remarks from Executive Director of PIPS Asim Khan Goraya, who emphasized the importance of equipping policymakers with strategic insights into the risks posed by misinformation in the digital age.
Chairperson of the Department of Digital Media and the lead for the strategy development Prof. Dr. Savera Mujib Shami presented the key elements of the draft National MIL Strategy. She highlighted the strategy's focus on embedding MIL into Pakistan's educational curricula, media practices, and governance systems, with an emphasis on youth empowerment, gender inclusion, and ethical digital engagement.
The Officer-in-Charge of the UNESCO Office in Pakistan Antony Kar Hung Tam addressed the gathering and underlined UNESCO's commitment to supporting Pakistan in building inclusive knowledge societies. He reiterated the organization's vision of empowering citizens to navigate the complex digital information landscape safely and responsibly through Media and Information Literacy.
The session featured an interactive panel discussion and roundtable dialogue, chaired by the member of the National Assembly Syeda Shehla Raza. The conversation revolved around the urgent need to empower youth with critical thinking skills, promote civic education, and instill democratic values to counter the growing threat of disinformation. Participants discussed how MIL could be used beyond classrooms to strengthen public discourse and social cohesion.
The concluding session was chaired by the Minister of State for National Heritage and Culture Huzaifa Rehman. Notable participants included Senator Sarmad Ali, Pullain Baloch, Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting; MNA Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, General Secretary of the Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF); as well as members of the National Assembly Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Ms. Rana Ansar, and Ms. Asia Naz Tanoli. Mubashar Bukhari, President of Media Foundation 360; Muhammad Noshad Ali, Group Executive Editor of Daily Pakistan; and Ms. Amina Ali, a Culture and Communication Strategist, also took part in the round-table, contributing valuable insights to the discussion
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business Recorder
Building collapse in Karachi: NA Speaker expresses sorrow over loss of lives
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq expressed deep sorrow and regret over residential building collapse in Karachi. The speaker expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the incident. He expressed his heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the families of the deceased. He said that he shares the grief of the bereaved families and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured. The speaker directed the rescue teams to complete relief operations immediately. He said that the injured should be provided with the best medical facilities. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business Recorder
KP govt rolls out good governance roadmap
PESHAWAR: The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formally rolled out the Good Governance Roadmap, in order institutionalize reform and a culture of delivery-based governance in the province. This strategic two-year plan is aimed at improving public service delivery, driving institutional efficiency, and building an effective governance system. Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur formally launched the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Good Governance Roadmap in an event held in the Chief Minister House here on Friday. The event was attended by provincial cabinet members, Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretaries, and Administrative Secretaries, other government high ups, representatives of development partners and media persons in large number. The roadmap reflects the government's long-standing commitment to citizen-centric development, transparency, and data-driven decision-making. It provides a unified framework that integrates all provincial reforms and development initiatives, setting the direction for delivery-oriented governance across the province. Anchored around three priority pillars - Good Governance, Robust Security, and Smart Development - the roadmap outlines interventions 12 governance, 1 security & 3 Development domains. Under the Good Governance pillar, the roadmap prioritizes 12 domains with defined key performance indicators (KPIs) to be achieved by 2027. The high-impact domains include health, education, social protection, economic uplift, infrastructure development, agriculture, energy, tourism, digitization etc. The Smarter Development initiative focuses on prioritizing high-impact projects, ensuring efficient budget allocation to maximize public benefit. It emphasizes monitoring mega projects for timely delivery and attracts investment by showcasing key projects to potential investors, driving economic growth and job creation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Strong Security framework aims to enhance safety through a coordinated approach involving all stakeholders, with a focus on civil leadership and ownership. It strengthens police capacity with proper training and resources and encourages community involvement in counter-terrorism efforts, ensuring a secure and resilient environment for the province. Under digitization over 35 departments are adopting digital platforms such as e-Office and digital procurement systems. Simultaneously, more than 100 public services will be digitized under the Dastak Portal, enabling citizens to access government services online. In the health sector, the roadmap sets out an ambitious plan to upgrade 250 Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs) into 24/7 maternal care facilities. Essential medicines will be made fully available at hospitals, while 54 Category-D hospitals will be outsourced through Public-Private Partnerships to enhance management and service quality. Additionally, a central Health Information and Service Delivery Unit is being established to digitize health systems and monitor outcomes. Education reform features prominently in the roadmap. The government aims to reduce out- of-school children by 50% and upgrade the learning outcomes in public schools. Furthermore, 1,500 schools will be outsourced to improve the quality of instruction. Higher education is also being realigned with market needs via launch of industry-relevant degree programs, internships, and entrepreneurship support initiatives. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
Air Chief writes letter to NA Speaker: ‘PAF appreciates demo of national solidarity shown by MPs
ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu wrote a letter of profound gratitude to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and all members of the House for praising their role in fostering national unity and felicitation on the PAF's resolute and befitting response to the Indian aggression. The Air Chief Marshal acknowledged in his letter that the Pakistan Air Force deeply appreciates the demonstration of national solidarity shown by the parliamentary leadership. In a letter addressed to the speaker National Assembly, the Air Chief Marshal, on behalf of all ranks of the Pakistan Air Force, extended sincere appreciation for the unwavering support, solidarity, and prayers expressed by the national leadership and members of Parliament in their speeches on the floor of the House. He added that PAF's success is a result of divine blessing and the unity of the nation, underpinned by the blessings of Allah Almighty, which thwarted enemy designs. He reiterated that protecting the country's airspace is a sacred national duty and reaffirmed PAF's full commitment to achieving national objectives. He lauded the Pakistani nation for demonstrating exceptional unity and standing firmly with the armed forces to counter the adversary's hostile designs. The collective resolve of the nation reflects its preparedness to confront all challenges with unwavering courage and determination, he added. Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu also acknowledged Allah's benevolence in enabling the PAF to safeguard the aerial frontiers of the motherland in line with the nation's expectations. He reaffirmed the PAF's unwavering commitment to extending full support towards fulfilling any national imperative in defence of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also expressed resolve that PAF remained ever-vigilant and fully prepared to respond to any threat, upholding its sacred duty to protect the skies of Pakistan. It is worth noting that this letter was written in response to a message previously sent by Speaker Sadiq. In his letter, the Speaker paid rich tribute to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu for delivering a decisive and bold response to Indian hostility. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
