In a notable exchange, Muhammad Saleem Khan, the Director General of Public Relations for the Information Department of the Government of Sindh, emphasized the importance of adapting to rapid advancements in media management and public relations during a meeting with a delegation from the University of Karachi’s Mass Communication department on Monday. Muhammad YousufKabooro, Director advertisement Information Department was also present on the occasion.
The 19-member group, led by Associate Professor Dr. Rana Afzal, visited Khan’s office to discuss the evolving landscape of media. Khan noted that the last fifteen years have brought transformative changes to the media industry, driven largely by the rise of electronic and social media.
“These changes have enabled journalists to perform their duties with ease on one hand but had also created hardships for them on the other hand,” he explained. Reflecting on the evolution of the Information Department over the past 35 years, Khan shared that when he began his career in 1989, news was typed on bulky typewriters. Today, technologies like computers, fax machines, emails, and WhatsApp have greatly streamlined the work of Public Relations Officers. Addressing the growing impact of social media, Khan revealed that the Information Department has established a Social Media Directorate that employs artificial intelligence to analyze data.
“The AI software is being used to apprise common man about the steps being taken by Government of Sindh for their welfare and clarify the baseless propaganda in media,” he added. The delegation received a comprehensive overview of the department’s various sections and was invited to consider internship opportunities within the organization. Dr. Rana Afzal expressed gratitude to Khan for the informative session and extended an invitation for him to visit the Mass Communication department at Karachi University. Following the meeting, the delegation toured several sections of the Information Department headquarters.
