Pakistan launches web portal for journalists

ISLAMABAD (APP) - A web portal was launched on Saturday containing complete database of the journalist community of Pakistan, highlighting the challenges confronting them and registration of complaints.

The web portal - www.pfuj.com.pk, also the official website of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) - has been developed under a project funded by the USAID. Pakistan Information, Communication and Research (PINFO), an Islamabad based organisation executed the project in collaboration with the PFUJ.

The portal contains the comprehensive data regarding the PFUJ members, journalists killed in line of duty, kidnapped or even facing any life threats. They can also register complaint in case of threat or emergency, said a press release issued here on Saturday.

In order to aware the journalists, the USIAD, through its project partners, held a series of conferences in all four provincial capitals as well as the federal capital.

In this regard, a media conference was also held here that was also aimed at concluding the year-long partnership between PFUJ and PINFO for implementing web portal project.

The project has provided technical assistance to PFUJ in developing and maintaining its official website.

Addressing the conference, PFUJ president Afzal Butt said the website of PFUJ has been developed and made functional, containing a resource bank of journalists killed in the line of duty along with the database of the members of PFUJ.

General Secretary RIUJ Bilal Dar said four workshops have been held to familiarise PFUJ members with database development, development and operations, along with website maintenance and social media integration of the website.

During the project, PINFO and PFUJ also conducted five stakeholders meetings with media houses and decision making offices of Pakistan like All Pakistan Newspaper Society, Pakistan Broadcasters Association, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, senior journalists, and civil society members.

These meetings aimed at drafting a charter of demands on behalf of all the relevant stake holders with consensus, to be presented to the government and relevant office bearers.