The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) has chosen Azhar Abbas as its president, with Tariq Mahmood taking the post of general secretary. The broadcast journalists’ body made the announcement on Saturday.
Muhammad Usman and Mian Tahir were picked as vice presidents, while Rehan Ahmed and Nadeem Jamal will serve as joint secretaries. According to the election results, Shahab Mahmood became finance secretary.
Executive committee members chosen across three cities
The General Council, which met in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, also filled the remaining seats on the executive committee. Those newly elected include Zahid Mazhar, Masoom Rizvi, Mohsin Raza, Mubarak Ali, Kamran Lashari, Humayun Saleem, Muhammad Naushad Kahwaja, Hasnain and Razaq Sarohi.
Council warns over press freedom and media restrictions
The council voiced grave concern about the worsening climate for press freedom in Pakistan, pointing to the growing use of government powers and state bodies to limit independent reporting. It also raised concern about the alleged misuse of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and the conduct of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
The council said the irresponsible behaviour of some YouTubers, who work under the guise of journalism, appeared to serve personal or political agendas. However, it stressed that the actions of a few people could not justify restricting the media as a whole.
The General Council decided that the new executive committee will hold detailed talks on the state of the media before issuing a comprehensive statement on the association’s position.
