LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has said that journalism is a sacred, responsible and dignified profession, and that anyone spreading lies and propaganda on YouTube may be a YouTuber but cannot be called a journalist.
She said curbing fake news and baseless allegations has become an urgent necessity, adding that character assassination is not freedom of expression.
While addressing a ceremony organised by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Azma maintained that while Pakistan enjoys extraordinary freedom in the digital media landscape, such freedom must be exercised with responsibility. She urged media organisations to identify the black sheep within their ranks and establish effective self-accountability and disciplinary mechanisms so that falsehood is called falsehood and truth is upheld.
She stressed that not everyone carrying a mobile phone and microphone qualifies as a journalist, and that a journalist has no political leader but remains committed solely to the profession. She further said that individuals operating from abroad and spreading anti-Pakistan propaganda are damaging the credibility of journalism, while those earning dollars through falsehoods should not be glorified as celebrities. She reaffirmed that the Punjab Government would continue extending its full support for the welfare of journalists and the promotion of responsible journalism.
Director General Public Relations Sheikh Farid Ahmed, CPNE President Kazim Khan, Senior Vice President Ayaz Khan, Secretary General Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Deputy Secretary General Tanveer Shaukat, Finance Secretary Arif Baloch, Information Secretary Munazza Seham, Vice President Punjab Mian Hassan Ahmed, Vice Presidents Islamabad/Rawalpindi Shakeel Ahmed Tarabi and Yahya Khan Sadozai, Joint Secretary Sindh Maqsood Yousafi, Joint Secretary Balochistan Munir Ahmed Baloch, Vice President KP Tahir Farooq and others attended the event.
Azma Bokhari said the government, in consultation with the journalist community, is reviewing the definition of a journalist, media accreditation, media lists and newspaper-related matters to make the entire system more transparent and effective. She added that a committee has already been constituted for this purpose.
Azma said that if media organisations develop an effective mechanism of self-regulation and take action against those spreading fake information, there would be little need for stricter legislation or government intervention. She urged media bodies to establish internal disciplinary committees and take action against individuals violating professional ethics.
The Information Minister observed that news published in the print and electronic media undergoes multiple stages of verification before publication or broadcast, whereas unverified content is freely circulated on social media, causing harm to individuals, institutions and the national interest. She emphasised that freedom of expression carries responsibility and that baseless allegations and character assassination can never be justified as free speech.
She said the national interest must always take precedence, adding that organised anti-Pakistan propaganda from abroad is being promoted under the guise of journalism. Journalists, she said, play a vital role in shaping public opinion and therefore bear greater responsibility than ordinary citizens.
Azma Bokhari further stated that the absence of effective regulatory frameworks and institutional cooperation with global digital platforms has made it difficult to remove fake and misleading content promptly. She said stronger measures at the federal level are also required to address this challenge.
Recalling her own experience, she said she had personally been targeted through deep fake videos and malicious propaganda, enabling her to fully understand the seriousness of the issue. She added that fabricated content not only harms an individual but also affects families and society at large, making collective efforts essential to curb this growing menace.
The Minister appealed to media organisations to adopt a unified and effective strategy for protecting professional journalism, eliminating fake journalism and safeguarding the national interest so that the dignity of the profession is preserved and the dissemination of responsible and credible information is ensured.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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