In what can be termed as a historic occasion of sorts, members of the press from India and Pakistan gathered together for the first time in a packed noisy room at the Press Club to discuss how the fourth estate in both the countries could play a major role in building better relations between the countries.
The seminar addressed important issues, such as the language being used by scribes on both sides to describe each other, with the media in Pakistan describing India as “asli dushman!” (eternal enemy), and the Indian media describing its relationship with its neighbour as “traditional rivalry.”
The gathering witnessed discussions on topics pertaining to relaxing the stringent visa regulations employed by both countries and a free flow of information exchange between reporters of the two nations.
“There are talks of easing business visa regulations between India and Pakistan. It should be done for journalists too, so they can travel and report freely,” said Tahir Hasan Khan, the president of the Karachi Press Club.
Moreover, Jatin Desai a journalist and Indo-Pak peace activist said that the governments only allow two journalists from the other country to report from the host country and they are confined to report only from Delhi and Islamabad. “Journalists of The Hindu and PTI function only from Islamabad have to take permission to even travel to Rawalpindi. Similarly, reporters from Pakistan working in Delhi cannot travel to places like Noida and Gurgaon without permission,” he said.
The 14-member Pakistani media delegation is on a weeklong visit reciprocal visit to Mumbai as a part of “Karachi Week.”