January 12, 2005

PPF Journalism Training Workshop, Gambat

Date: January 12, 2005
Location: Gambat

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) organized journalism Training Workshop for local journalists and women from 12-14 January, 2005 at Community Centre Hall, Gambat, district Khairpur, Sindh.

Gambat, located at a distance 35 kilometers west of Khairpur, is a market town of the area lying in the hub of fertile agricultural region growing wheat, sugar cane and high quality dates. It has a population of 60,000 people, and support a number of high quality educational institutions, from primary to college level.

The Gambat government Science College has co education, where girls get access to higher education due to absence of a women’s college.The workshop was held at the local community hall and it was attended by 23 participants. The break up was 12 women college lecturers, working for NGO’s and some graduate level students, while 11 men represented various national, regional and local newspapers and magazines.

The PPF instructors’ team consisted of Mr.Fazal Qureshi, Vice Chairman PPF, and senior journalist from Khairpur Raja Abdul Hamid.Principal of the Government Degree Science College (also a life member of local press club ) Syed Ali Raza Jeelani and President Gambat Press Club Roshan Ali Malik jointly inaugurated the workshop.

In their speech, they appreciated the effort that PPF is making in training journalists from rural areas and especially women.Mr.Fazal Qureshi in his opening remarks said during the similar workshops by PPF, great results have been shown by ruraljournalists and women participants and may talented writers have been sorted during these workshops.

The first working session began with the definition of news. This was followed by explanation of the principles of news writing. The segment was followed by group discussion which covered wide range of subjects relating to news writing. During the practical exercise on news writing, the participants were given basic material and asked to write a news item with a proper news lead.

Next item was a discussion on principles of news ethics and values which determines the importance of news to be published in the newspaper. The participants took active part in the discussions and all aspects of journalism ethics including compla
ints about blackmailing and irresponsible news reporting were discussed.

Followed were the lectures on article and feature writing. The lecture explained the procedure of article writing from. The lecture emphasized the need for a detailed preparation of a comprehensive manuscript, the importance of photographs. The lecture also included the way to market articles and features in the media.

During the practical exercise, the participants were asked to select a subject, write an article on some issue of their area which could be used for release to the newspapers. Part of the exercise was done as homework. Their output was then discussed in groups.

The last session included a lecture on importance of maintaining reference records on subjects of interest to the writers. An open discussion followed.Umrah Khan Pathan, correspondent The Nation said that the three day duration of the workshop was not enough. It should be extended to at least one week.

Roshan Ali Malik, President of Press Club was of the view that the journalism manual provided to the participants should also be available in Sindhi language which was the language of the majority of the local journalists.

Lubaba Vaseer, a science graduation student of local college proposed that the ability of write for newspapers was important for all specially women and should be included in the educational curriculum at the graduation level.

Farzana Tonio, a college lecturer of English proposed that PPF should included training of trainers in their program so that this program can be continued through local initiative.Then the participants were given evaluation forms and asked to comment on the quality of the workshop and any suggestions they might have for further improvement.

Professor Mumtaz Moghal, District Officer Education Khairpur was the chief guest of the closing session. In his address, Professor Moghal praised the importance and utility of the workshop saying that the participant were now equipped with new skills and awareness about the techniques and ethics of news and article writing.He expressed hope that more such programs would be organized in future also.The Chief Guest then distributed certificates among the participants.

List of Participants
Name	Designation	Organization
Mr. Umrah Khan Pathan	District Reporter	The Nation
Mr. Raja Abdul Hameed Khaskhali	District Reporter	Daily Star
Mr. Roshan Ali Malik	Correspondent & President Press Club	Daily Jang
Mr. Mohammad Arshad Arslan	Correspondent	Daily Kaiynat
Mr. Shafique Ahmed Khahro	Correspondent	Daily Kawish
Mr. Syed Ali Raza Shah Jeelani	Principal	Goverament College
Mr. Ali Dino Junego	Lecturer	Government College
Mr. Imdad li	Lecturer	Government College
Mr. bdul Rehman Khuhro	Lecturer	Government College
Mr. Arbab Mirani
Miss. Fatima Sana		Government College
Miss. Nighat Shaikh	Lecturer	Government College
Miss. Farzan Tunio	Lecturer	Government College
Miss. Seema Parveen Shaikh		Government College
Miss. Hina Rasool Shaikh		Government College
Miss. Sara Kiran Shaikh		Government College
Miss. Lubaba Vaseer		Government College
Miss. Razbia Khan Arigo		Government College
Miss. Samina Malik		Government College
Miss. Kalsoom Shaikh		Government College
Miss. Noor-ul —Sabah		Government College

January 12, 2005

Burn victim records another statement

KARACHI, January 11,2005: Asiya, a maid who was brought to hospital with serious burns on Sunday, recorded another statement before a judicial magistrate at Civil Hospital here on Tuesday.

This was the third statement, Asiya, 16, recorded in three days. Her statement on Tuesday was recorded by a judicial magistrate (JM-IV East), Ms Mushtari Khanam. Earlier, she gave a statement on Sunday to the police and later another on Monday before a doctor.

According to her statement on Tuesday, she was cleansing the bathroom of her employer attached to a bed-room when Yaseen Bawani, 17, came to the room and locked it from inside. He also closed windows and put curtains on them.

Yaseen, she said, came to the bathroom and dragged her to the bed where he acted with me in a manner which is inexpressible. I pushed him with the force of my feet, ran to the bathroom, and locked it from inside. I came out from the bathroom after an hour.

I saw Yaseen sitting on the lawn where he apologized me and warned me not to tell anyone about the incident. I said that I would tell this to everyone on which he threatened me of burning to death.”

She further stated that when she told Yaseen that she would tell this to his parents, he molested me. He again threatened me to kill my family members.” Later, three masked men came and put a bed sheet on her, set her on fire and pushed her to the bathroom.

She stated that she, in fear, immediately closed the bathroom from inside and felt burning. She realized that her clothes caught fire and she tried to put it out. Her shrieks attracted Amanat, 20, a servant and Imdad Taj, 45, watchman, who broke open the door and rescued her. They first took her to a private hospital and later to the Civil Hospital.

She stated that she did not know the three men who burnt her. She said that she had been working for a year at the bungalow. Asiya was brought to Civil Hospital with 98 per cent burns.

According to initial information provided by the police, she used to work at a bungalow in CP Barar Society where Amanat, 20, had been employed as a servant. In the first statement she involved Amanat and said that she in utter embarrassment and depression burnt herself.

The police registered a case for attempting to commit suicide against the girl and detained Amanat for investigation. The police said this information was based on a statement she had given immediately after arriving at the Civil Hospital.

In a subsequent statement on Monday, she denied the earlier statement and held Yaseen Bawani responsible for burning. On her later statement, the police registered another case and arrested Yaseen.

The police, however, obtained the physical custody of Yaseen Bawani and his driver, Amanat Ali, for interrogation till Jan 16. The police produced the two suspects in the court of Judicial Magistrate Shaista Hamid seeking a 14-day remand for interrogation and investigation. However, the magistrate ordered the police to produce the two on Jan 16.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/12/2005

January 12, 2005

Housewife Killed as Kari

LARKANA:January 12,2005: A married woman was Killed as ‘Kari at Nauodero, on Tuesday. According to details, three armed men opened fire on one Hakeema Khatoon wife of Roshan Ali Khokhar and killed her. They had alleged that the deceased had indulged in to illicit relations with one Murad Shaikh.The Nauodero police lodged a case against three accused Naseem Khokhar ,Gulshan Khokhar and an identified man,and initated Probe.
Source: Daily Time
Date:1/12/2005

January 12, 2005

Alleged rapists remanded till 16th

KARACHI, January 11,2005:The main accused in the housemaid burning case, Yaseen Bawani, son of a businessman, Muhammad Ali Bawani, and Amanat Ali were remanded to police custody till January 16.

Judicial Magistrate (West) Shaista Hamid was requested by the police to allow them to hold investigation against the accused who had allegedly torched 16-year-old Aasia in a bungalow located in CP Bahar Society.

Aasia admitted in the Civil Hospital (with 98 per cent burn injuries) has alleged that the accused had tried to rape her and upon resistance burnt her. Previously it was said that the servant, Amanat Ali, had tried to rape her and she (out of frustration) tried to commit self-immolation. Besides, it was alleged that Yaseen Bawani and some other accused were involved in attempting to rape her and upon failure they torched her. She stated that she could not identify those that burnt her because they covered their faces.

The judicial magistrate directed the police to ascertain and investigate the case and produce the accused under custody on January 16.

Judicial Magistrate Shaista Hamid on Tuesday also visited the hospital and recorded the statement of the victim and complainant in the case, Aasia, who told the details of her burning while alleging that she was tried to disrespect and humiliate by Yaseen, Amanat and others and the same accused were involved in setting her on fire.
Source: The News
Date:1/12/2005

January 12, 2005

BBA asks lawyers not to attend courts – Sexual assault on woman doctor

QUETTA, January 2005,11: Political and social activists and tribal elders have condemned the sexual assault on a woman doctor in Sui and the Balochistan Bar Association has asked lawyers not to attend courts on Wednesday in a mark of protest against the government’s attitude for not arresting rapists.

In separate statements they alleged that the government knew that who were involved in the humiliation of the woman doctor but despite the information was hesitant to arrest them.

Opposition Leader in the Balochistan Assembly Kachkol Baloch said the incident was against the province’s cultural and traditional norms and had tarnished social values. He said that involvement of personnel of a law-enforcement agency in the act was ‘shameful’.

MNA Abdur Rauf Mengal, MPA Akhtar Hussain Lango, and vice-president of the Balochistan National Party Sajid Tareen condemned the incident and demanded an open-court trial after the arrest of the rapists.

The political leaders condemned the government for remaining silent for many days over the incident and only ordered a judicial inquiry after concern was voiced by many.

Balochistan Bar Association president Mohammad Wasay Tareen, while condemning the incident, asked the lawyers not to attend court proceedings on Wednesday as a mark of protest.

Khuzdar Bar president Usman, Kalat Bar president Nasir bungulzai and Kech Bar president Hamid Baloch also condemned the sexual assault on the woman doctor. Wadera Qamaruddin Kalpar, chief of Kalpar Bugti tribe, alleged that defence security guards and personnel were involved in the criminal assault, but the government was not willing to arrest the officials.

The Citizen Action Committee, Khuzdar, on Tuesday took out a protest rally to condemn the humiliating act and demanded the government to arrest the criminals at the earliest.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/12/2005