LAHORE – Pakistan is one of the most affected countries by the environmental challenges and media can play an important role to highlight the issues, causes and how to overcome such challenges.
Environmental journalists and reporters need a professional capacity building training program so that they could enhance their professional skills and make their contribution to mitigating these issues.
Environmental issues in Pakistan include deforestation, air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, climate change, pesticide misuse, soil erosion, natural disasters and desertification. These are serious environmental problems that Pakistan is facing, and they are getting worse as the country’s economy expands and the population grows.
These views were expressed by the eminent environmental lawyer Sardar Aasif Ali Sial while speaking at a capacity building workshop arranged by the Environmental Journalists Association of Pakistan (EJAP) in collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries (LCCI).
Sardar Aasif Ali Sial said, “Air, Water and Solid Waste have always been the major sources of pollution affecting masses for decades”. He said that authorities remained reluctant in combating such challenges seriously.
Sial continued that in the prevailing scenario, journalists should be focused, knowing and well versant in the subject of the environment. “They should understand and be familiar with the technical and legal terms so that they can make an effective report. An honestly reported incident or a fact, relevant to the field of environment is more than half the issue resolved,” he added.
Earlier, EJAP President Samiullah Randhawa welcoming the guest speaker said that their Association intends to work for capacity building of journalists hailing from the big and small cities across the country so as to effectively reporting the environmental issues and be a helping hand for those working for overcoming these challenges.
