LAHORE: Lawmakers from Pakistan and India have called upon the two governments to chart a course for the media “positively influencing” relations between the two South Asian neighbours.

The call was jointly made at the 5th round of Pakistan-India Legislators and Public Officials Dialogue facilitated by PILDAT in Dubai on Sunday (Dec 11) on the Role of Media in Improving Relations between Pakistan and India and How to Positively Take Forward the ‘Fight Poverty’ Agenda.

Members of Parliament, Punjab and Sindh Assemblies alongside experts and media representatives from Pakistan joined members of Indian State Legislatures of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan alongside media representatives from India, says a message received from Dubai.

Underscoring that media can play a role in positively influencing relations, the participants said the essential responsibility to chart a course in this regard was of the elected leadership of both the countries.

Lawmakers, journalists from two countries meet in Dubai

Also recognizing dialogue as the only way forward to improve relations, they said candid and consistent dialogue aimed at conflict resolution could only take place when the two states recognized and addressed the issues such as those included in the Composite Dialogue 1997 and the Comprehensive Dialogue 2015.

Given the recent experience of the Heart of Asia Conference, the participants observed that in inter-state relationships, due consideration, courtesy and diplomatic protocol must be observed. Similarly, media should be given access without hindrance to cover all such events.

Calling for promotion of balanced and positive approach in news media of both countries, they recalled that the Joint Communiqué of March 10, 2016 on the subject had sought objective and professional reporting in two states avoiding sensationalism and negative hype. And that enabling environment for free and fair reporting must be ensured, while institutional arrangements through their respective professional associations and forums of owners, editors and journalists must be facilitated for dialogue.

They highlighted the continuing issue of inability of news organisations in India and Pakistan to appoint reporters in each other’s countries because of a lack of access for media to locations in the other country and obstacles in obtaining visas for journalists.

On the “Fight Poverty” Agenda, the participants said while each country has specific conditions behind poverty a distinct part was played by narrow definitions of national security, exacerbating poverty and leading to instability.

They believed that resolution of disputes between Pakistan and India can indeed spare resources for poverty alleviation. They also called for effective steps to control population.

With ex-Senator Javed Jabbar in the chair, delegates from Pakistan included Senator Sassi Palijo, MNAs Dr Arif Alvi, Tallal Chaudry, Shafqat Mahmood and Shaista Pervaiz, MPAs Ayesha Javed, Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Dr Murad Rass, Nabila Hakim Ali (all three from Punjab Assembly) and Mahtab Akbar Rashdi (Sindh Assembly) and senior journalist Ghazi Salahuddin.

India was represented by former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and MLAs Adarsh Shastri, Rajinder Nagar, Vishesh Ravi, and Vijender Garg Vijay (from Delhi Assembly), Nand Kishore Maharia (Rajasthan), and Parminder Singh Dhull (Haryana Assembly). S. Panneerselvam, Jyoti Kamal and other senior journalists.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2016