News DeskSpokesman Report
BAHAWALPUR: A two-day Media and Communication (ICMC 2021) Conference was organized by the Department of Media Studies, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur. The central idea was freedom of expression and social responsibility. Addressing the inaugural session of the conference, Vice Chancellor Engr. Athar Mahboob said that the theme of the conference was of utmost importance in the international context.
The conduct of dialogue by the Department of Media Studies is highly commendable. He said Freedom of expression is a basic human right that our law and religion give us. Freedom of expression and social responsibility are essential.
Of course, it is not appropriate to impose unnecessary restrictions on freedom of expression. But without legitimate legal and moral restrictions, freedom of expression can lead to the deterioration of societies. Freedom of expression is the hallmark of democratic societies. It is through this that societies thrive on a mental, intellectual and scientific level. He expressed the belief that in the light of the views presented by foreign and domestic intellectuals in this conference, it would be helpful to formulate a statement and policy on the subject and at the same time it would help in learning and intellectual development for the faculty and students.
Addressing the inaugural session, former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Center Javed Jabbar congratulated the Vice Chancellor, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences and Chairman Department of Media Studies on convening the conference and said that it is definitely a very important topic of the present era. And especially the growing influence of social media in society has added to its importance. He said that due to different interpretations of freedom of expression and social responsibility, there is a clash of ideas in the society which has led to conflicts and in some places European governments have resorted to violence under the umbrella of absolute freedom of expression. Attitudes are being promoted.
There are such attitudes in our society due to which religious, linguistic groups and regional contexts are emerging. Therefore, it is necessary to set the necessary limits and restrictions on freedom of expression and all Society should be bound.
Speaking at the inaugural function, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Rubina Bhatti and Chairman Department of Media Studies Prof. Abdul Wajid Khan welcomed all the guests and hoped that the conference would succeed in achieving its objectives. From various sessions of the conference, Prof. Graham Dock Lug Board University of England, Prof. Steven Big Blood Park University USA, Dr. Raya Dada’s Charles University Czech Republic, Dr. Suzette Lille, University of Johannesburg South Africa, Prof. Fatima Azhara Cairo University Egypt, Prof. Play Prolin Wenger Felt University Sweden, Dr. Bishma Bukhari Dean Department of Communication and Media University College Bahrain, Ammar Yousuf of Media Algeria Leading Journalist Mazhar Abbas, Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Dr. Noshiba Saleem, Dr. Shahzad Ali, Dr. Zahid Yousuf, Dr. Yasmeen Sultana Farooqi, Dr. Saqib Riaz and other scholars presented their papers.
