Lahore, January 30, 2025 – UNESCO, in collaboration with Media Foundation 360 and the Department of Digital Media, University of the Punjab, successfully organized the “Becoming a Trusted Voice: Media and Information Literacy Capacity-Building Workshop for Media Duty Bearers.” This initiative is part of UNESCO’s broader efforts to strengthen the Media and Information Literacy (MIL) framework in Pakistan and equip media professionals with the necessary skills to navigate the evolving information landscape. The workshop brought together leading media professionals, journalists, and industry experts to discuss the challenges posed by both traditional and digital media and the urgent need to integrate MIL across all sectors of society.
Hamza Swati, National Professional Officer at UNESCO, provided an overview of the project, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking skills in combating misinformation and fostering informed decision-making. Dr. Savera Shami, MIL Lead and Chairperson of the Department of Digital Media, presented a draft strategic framework aimed at strengthening MIL at the grassroots level. She advocated for policy integration, community engagement, and sustained capacity-building efforts to enhance media literacy nationwide. The trainers included Ikram Barkat, Director General of PEMRA, Mubashar Bukhari, President of Media 360 Foundation, underscored the growing importance of online safety and data protection, calling on media professionals to adopt best practices for digital security. Muhammad Noshad Ali, Group Executive of Daily Pakistan, highlighted the crucial role of content creators in promoting responsible media literacy and countering disinformation. Ajmal Jami, Broadcast Journalist and Digital Media Consultant at Suno News, addressed the ethical responsibilities of journalists in an era of widespread and unverified information dissemination. Fatima Ali, Correspondent Punjab for Independent Urdu, provided practical tools for verifying news authenticity and assessing the credibility of sources.
The workshop concluded with key recommendations for advancing MIL in Pakistan, including the integration of MIL into national curricula, enhanced capacity-building programs for media professionals, public awareness campaigns, stronger regulatory support from PEMRA, digital security training for media persons, the development of fact-checking mechanisms, and grassroots initiatives to engage communities. Representatives from prominent media organizations—including Aik News, Hum News, Daily Express, Samaa, Nukta Pakistan, Geo News, 92 News, PTI, The News, Public News, and Daily Naayi Baat—actively participated in the discussions, reinforcing a collective commitment to fostering media literacy and responsible journalism in Pakistan.
