MUMBAI, May 20: Amid traditional Aartis, garlands and
blowing of the Tutaris, a 14-member Pakistan media delegation arrived in Mumbai
on a first ever week-long study trip.
The delegates from Karachi and Hyderabad (Sind) Press
Clubs, were received by a group of The Press Club-Mumbai members as they landed
by a PIA flight from Karachi at the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport
terminal at Sahar.
Pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming response,
delegation leader and Karachi Press Club
president Tahir Hasan Khan said: “We
are extremely happy to be in India. I am sure this joint endeavour by Karachi
and Mumbai Press clubs will lead to improving the relationships between India
and Pakistan and more importantly strengthening the people-to-people contacts
between the neighbours.”
“The purpose of the visit is to promote a
philosophy of understanding and tolerance between the two countries by
increasing and improving the quality of media content when reporting on each
other's country and bilateral issues. This is expected to give a boost to the
peace process between the two countries,” Mr Gurbir Singh, President, The Press Club – Mumbai, said.
The delegation represents leading newspapers and channels
like Dawn, The News, Jang Geo TV, ARY News, Express Tv etc and are members of
either Karachi or Hyderabad Press Club members. Most of them will be visiting
India for the first time
They have been invited by The Press Club Mumbai as a
reciprocal to Karachi Press Club and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education
and Research jointly hosting Mumbai Media delegation in November last.
Both Mumbai and Karachi Press Clubs have established
sisterly relationships.
The media representatives will have interaction with
leaders of various political parties, industry leaders, journalists, social
activists and common people.
They are also scheduled to visit Mr. Prithviraj Chavan,
Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Mr. R R Patil, Home Minister. They will also
visit the BSE as well as a couple of newspapers and news channels offices.
The two press clubs - PCM and KPC - are also demanding
that their governments allow free flow of information between the two countries
and remove media restrictions. Currently, only two journalists of other country
are allowed to operate in the host country.
As the visit of journalists creates a conducive
atmosphere for the enduring peace both the prestigious Clubs are demanding an
open and liberal visa regime both for the journalist community as well as for the
common people.
They would also be shown prominent landmarks of Mumbai
like Gateway of India and Bandra-Worli Sea Link. They would be in Mumbai in
Mumbai from May 21-26.
On the evening of May 26, they would proceed to Pune
where they would visit a media house besides attending events hosted by Sarhad,
a prominent NGO from Pune, which is working for Indo-Pak peace.
