Department of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC), University of Peshawar has launched its first ever website on Thursday providing a platform to local journalists to learn from best practices and promote development journalism in the region.
Secretary Planning and Development Department – FATA, Shakil Qadir was the chief guest at the occasion. The launching ceremony was attended by over 100 participants from government, local media and academia including the Additional D.G Projects FATA, Mohammad Tayyab Abdullah.
The website complements the three-month development journalism course that is jointly conducted by University of Peshawar and FATA Development Programme (FDP). The stories published on the website will be developmental in nature and focus areas that otherwise go unnoticed in the mainstream media.
Up to 115 students, in 7 batches, have been trained so far including many professionals working with various media and development organizations. Graduates of batch 6 and 7 were also awarded completion certificates on this occasion.
Addressing the ceremony, Chairman JMC Dr. Altafullah Khan said many were skeptical about the success of the course when they first started it, but the selfless effort of his team, support of the FATA Secretariat and Peshawar University made it possible to make the course a success and then launch its official website.
“Many graduates of the course have found jobs in various organizations across the country and abroad.
“Reputed universities across the country including NUST, LUMS, and IBA have approached JMC to own the course in their respective campuses”, he added.
Secretary P&D FATA, Shakil Qadar while lauding the efforts of University of Peshawar and IPR, said “The government departments also want their work to be monitored through an independent body and this course fills that vacant space.”
The three-month development journalism course is a brain-child of German organization Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through its Independent Project Reporting (IPR) program.
GIZ is the implementing partner of the FATA Development Program which is co-funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).