LAHORE– Speakers at a seminar on “Crime Reporting and Media - professional and ethical imperatives” on Thursday agreed that the crimes reporters are the actual watchdogs of the society while balanced, independent, and bold reporting on crimes issues could help bring down crimes rate in the otherwise crime-prone City.
The seminar, moderated by Absar Abdul Ali, Director Hameed Nizami Press Institute of Pakistan (HNPIP), was held under the aegis of HNPIP at the auditorium. Former Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court Justice Mian Mahboob Ahmed presided over the seminar while Editor TheNation Salim Bokhari and Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Aslam Tareen were the chief guests on this occasion.  Local Crimes Reporters including Mirza Naseer Baig, Ahsan Shaukat, Ashraf Javed, and Ashraf Sharif also spoke on this occasion.
Speaking on this occasion, Lahore CCPO Muhammad Aslam Tareen said that there was dire need to define our national interest like other countries on the earth.  He said that once the national interest is defined, it should be made mandatory for all the state institutions, media, and the society not to cross the limits. ‘As a nation, we are greed to bring development and reforms in the society.
But as a nation, we must pledge that we will never patronize or support the pressure groups,” Aslam Tareen said.
He also pointed out that the society is rapidly declining because of intellectual dishonesty, which is unacceptable. He further said that the police and crimes reporters could not survive without each other help and support. He also suggested the reporters not to sensationalise crimes stories and always try to produce balanced stories. He said that the national media must take initiatives to ensure responsible and objective reporting. “We need collective efforts and responsibility. We should promote our own culture rather than following the others.
The media should also create awareness among the public by playing positive role instead of projecting criticism for the sake of criticism,” Tareen added. He said that the foreign investors are unwilling to come to Pakistan because the local media frequently and unnecessarily sensationalise the crimes and terror related incidents. Aslam Tareen urged the reporters to play their role for the rehabilitation of the society and to bring reform in the social order.
Editor TheNation, Salim Bokhari said that Crimes Reporting is the most difficult job in the newspapers if compared with other beats. He also underlined that the crimes reporters should be given due space, due display and due respect in the newspapers and media outlets. He also said that the Editors and News Editors should change their attitude towards the crime reporters, who work under tight deadlines with low salaries.  Unfortunately, he said, some ‘part-time’ media institutions destroyed the dignity of the new media. He said that journalism is a reflection of the society. “The journalists report what actually is happening in the society.
Salim Bokhari further said that there is a dire need to bring fundamental changes in the policing system in order to improve the overall system. He pointed that 47 per cent policemen are deployed on VVIP’s security while 37 per cent postings and transfers are ordered on the recommendations of the MNAs and MPAs.
Former Chief Justice Federal Sharia Court, Justice Mian Mahboob Ahmed said that the parents and the teachers must play their role for the character building of the youth while the new generation should follow their leaders like Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He also observed that movies are cause of spread of crimes. Therefore, the media should play its role sensibly.