PESHAWAR, Feb 18: NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain has praised the ‘pro-active’ role of Maulana Sufi Mohammad, head of the defunct Tanzeem Nifaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi, who kicked off peace efforts in the troubled Swat valley on Wednesday.

Speaking at a seminar entitled ‘Role of media in the establishment of peace and security’, organised by the Centre for Global Peace and Reconciliation here at the Peshawar Press Club, the minister said Maulana Sahib had induced a sense of life and security across the fear-bound town by bringing out a peace rally in the valley. He said it was a good omen for the residents, personnel of security agencies and government employees posted in Swat.

He thanked President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani and the army troops stationed in Swat for their assistance in restoration of peace in Swat.

According to his words, Mian Iftikhar said, Maulana Sahib continued his peace efforts to get enforced Nizam-i-Adl Regulation in Malakand region. He said the enforcement of amended version of the regulation had been the main demand of 99 per cent residents of the entire region, which the provincial government could not ignore.

He said in 1994 the then federal law minister, Iqbal Haider, supported this regulation, but now at various TV talk-shows he (Mr Haider) was seen speaking against it. He said: “If a thing was right in 1994, how it becomes wrong in 2009”.

He said some the so-called liberal groups had started criticising the Frontier government on this issue. “They think that our government has surrendered to the demands of militants.

We have done nothing new, we are going to implement an amended version of the regulation, enacted in 1994. Our detractors don’t know we have followed the 1973 Constitution, which rejects any legislation repugnant to the spirit of Islam”, he argued.

The minister said it were his party followers, who had been targeted in Swat. “We are fighting a holy war by opposing perpetration of atrocities in the province. Those who are sitting in cozy drawing rooms in Punjab cannot understand our pain”, Mian Iftikhar added.

He said media could play a constructive role in bring back peace to the violence-hit valley. He complained that a section of the electronic media had promoted the cause of militants instead of peace-loving forces. He said: “Media mirrors its society, but not in parts”.

Provincial Culture and Sports Minister Syed Aaqil Shah underlined the need for evolving a code of ethics for the electronic media. He said the mushroom growth of private channels and their competition for breaking-the-news had spoiled the things. He said this madness had put their credibility at stake.

He said: “Media is responsible for nation-building. It grooms a society, if it disseminates false information, it betrays people.” He hoped that media would also elevate its standard and credibility in the future.

Information secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai also spoke on the occasion and stressed the need for promoting positive and constructive image of the country through electronic media.

He said that sudden growth of electronic media coupled with a race for breaking news had worsened the situation at the political and societal level.

Dr Khursheed Ahmed, a British national heading a campaign entitled ‘I am the West’ also spoke on the occasion.

He said his organisation was busy in restoring the actual image of Muslim and Islam in Europe and America, because they were part of the West.

President Peshawar Press Club Shamim Shahid also spoke on the occasion.