Staff Reporter
The two-day capacity building workshop on “Strategic Communication and Media Engagement in Crisis Situation” for the Sindh Police Officials and Rangers, concluded at the Central Police Office (CPO), on Thursday. The workshop was organized by ‘Pakistan Peace Collective’ (PPC), a research & communication project of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
The concluded session of training workshop was graced with the presence of Major-General Umar Ahmad Bukhari Director General (DG) Rangers Sindh & Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sindh Police. DG Rangers said that Police are the primary custodians of safety of people. Rangers learn from the experience of Sindh police because they are closely interacting with diverse communities everywhere. Both Sindh police and Rangers in Sindh are at one page in eradicating the menace of terrorism and violent extremism in all its manifestations. The Director General Rangers Major General Omar Ahmad Bukhari said that media is one of the sensitive subjects in modern day world to handle it with care. He advised police officers to be thorough with their job and never speak lie with media because at many times media damage police officers rather than helping them.
The challenges posed by violent extremism, he said, could be properly addressed by educating the people towards unity and peaceful co-existence. While referring Media as the 4th pillar of state, IG Sindh Police Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam said that People of Pakistan want police officers to get engaged with media to know government’s response and narrative.
He advised trainee police officers and officers of Rangers of Sindh to be concise and specific while interacting with journalists in the field. IG Sindh police said that DG Rangers is a big support to them. Both IG Sindh Police and DG Rangers Sindh lauded the efforts of PPC and Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for organizing the training workshop on Strategic Communication throughout the country for various organizations.
These efforts, he added, would help create better understanding between media and various government organizations in confronting the challenges posed by violent extremism. The CEO PPC while speaking on the occasion appreciated the support extended by Sindh Police and Rangers in organizing the training workshop.
He also appreciated the interest shown by the participants in trying to learn the skills of communication, which are essential to build the confidence of the people in the government organizations responsible for their security.
