Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain informed the country’s first Media Technology University would be launched on August 14 this year which would be formally inaugurated by the prime minister, at this building.
The minister said in today’s world, there was contest over opinion making and perceptions in which the media was playing an important role. The media as a tool was being used effectively for building narratives across the world, he added.
He said the information ministry was transforming Associated Press of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan and PTV into digital platforms in line with the modern requirements of the day.
Fawad said they were trying to bring forward modern media techniques for effectively building the country’s narrative abroad.
About the production of short films, the minister said the social media contents worldwide had multiplied and now focused was shifted from long duration films to making of shortest form for which the popular social media platforms were effectively used.
He regretted that the film industry in the country which was once among the biggest production of movies in the world had faced hardest time.
The minister expressed the confidence that new film policy, latest initiatives including availability of human resources and modern equipments would help the industry to rise again.
DG ISPR Major General Babar Iftikhar underlined that the time had come to project the country’s image on the world stage ‘which is good and beautiful’.
He observed that in the world, perception was often regarded as reality and stressed upon aligning the perception with reality.
He said Pakistan had been blessed with myriad gifts and talents but it underwent threats of terrorism, in the past decade which had impacted the country’s image at the international level.
The DG ISPR further said that they had won war against terrorism but still some enemies of the motherland were trying to harm it.
He said 60% of the country’s population consisted of youth and through the NASFF, they had been provided with a platform to express their talents and effectively project the real image of Pakistan.
Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar said that they had received participants from 72 universities of the country for this contest and with 2300 quality short films.
He also lauded efforts of the ministry of information for making the event successful.