Srinagar, Oct 30 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir Journalists Association
(JAKJA) on Saturday held its first General Council meeting at the
Kashmir Press Club in Srinagar.
The association launched its official website – www.jakja.org and
unveiled the charter during the meeting, which was attended by over
its 60 members. The house ratified the already established interim
body till next elections of the association are held.
The executive body includes BBC journalist Riyaz Masroor as President,
Kashmir News Bureau Editor Malik Sajid as Vice-President, The Kashmir
Walla Editor Fahad Shah as General Secretary and independent
journalist Rayan Naqash as Treasurer.
Speaking on the occasion, the President of the JAKJA Riyaz Masroor
called the association a ship and said every journalist could board
it. “We want to take everyone on board from the entire Jammu and
Kashmir. In Kashmir, the journalists have been suffering due to
various issues and we want to work for their welfare and facilitate
them at every moment,” he said.
“We have to work to strengthen the journalism in the valley and we all
need to involve ourselves in this,” he said adding, “the name of JAKJA
is not sacrosanct but our ideas, vision and aims are.”
Speaking during the meeting, the JAKJA General Secretary Fahad Shah
said that the body will work for the welfare of all the journalists.
“There are many opportunities that we hardly know about. We want
everyone to come and join us so that we can do something bigger for
our fraternity,” he said.
Senior journalist Jalil Rathor, who was presiding over the proceedings
of the meeting, expressed his gratitude that all the journalists have
come together under one umbrella. “The community has also been
overlooked but now I hope things will change as professionals have
joined hands and will fight on every cause together,” he said.
Opinion Editor of Greater Kashmir, Mehmood Ur Rashid, focused on
getting every journalist on board. “I think the body needs to focus on
bringing everyone on board and walk together for the welfare of the
journalists,” he said.
During the meeting senior journalists Naseer Ganai and Haroon Reshi
also stressed the need for a joint effort to preserve and strengthen
the institution of journalism. Several young journalists also shared
their views and comments, especially the issues they face in the
profession.
The body will take the journalists from Jammu region on board as well
and have reserved a seat for the region in the seven member executive
council. The association has also formed several committees to work on
various issues of the fraternity – which will be shaped and begin
working in coming days—(KNO)
