VC Dr. Mujahid Kamran, Dr. Shahid Munir, Dr. Zakria Zakar, Dr. Mehdi Hassan, Salman Ghani, Najam Wali Khan, Imran Khan, Ahmad Waleed, Mian Habib Ullah, Rukhsana Noor grace the ceremony
Media graduates take oath to abide by journalistic values, ethics
Dr Noshina awards degree to a graduate.
Report By: Ali Arshad
Phography: Mehsheed Muhammad
LAHORE: A total 36 medals and 249 degrees were awarded to the graduates of different study programmes including Masters (Session 20120-14) and BS (Session 2010-2014) in the first-ever graduation ceremony of Punjab University Institute of Communication Studies.
The graduates included 33 BS (Hons) 2010-14, 49 students of MSc Communication Studies (Morning), 59 MSc Communication Studies (Replica), 89 MSc Development Journalism and 18 students of MSc Film and TV.
“Media has the power to present truth as false and a fake story as a truth because it can create any perception about any incident in the world; every journalist should prioritize the responsible journalism, hence media’s role cannot be denied in this era.”
This was said by Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr. Mujahid Kamran while addressing the first graduation ceremony of Institute of Communication Studies (ICS). Dean Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Dr. Zakaria Zakir, Controller Examinations PU Dr. Shahid Muneer, In-charge Director ICS Dr Noshina Saleem, senior journalists Dr Mahdi Hassan, Salman Ghani, Najam Wali Khan, anchorperson Imran Khan, Ahmad Waleed, Mian Habib ullah, Fazal Awan, several other journalists, faculty members of ICS, students and their parents were also present in the ceremony.
Dr Mujahid Kamran said that its media, which can show people a truth as false and a fake story as a truth. While giving example of the Sandy Hook Elementary School mock shooting incident in US, the VC cited “Nobody Died at Sandy Hook: It Was a FEMA Drill to Promote Gun Control by Jim Fetzer and Mike Palacek, published in 2015.” He said that it was a mock exercise by US security forces and was presented by media as a real terrorist attack in which news of death of students was also spread. In actual, not a single student lost his life in that incident, he added while giving a reference from the book.
In-charge Director ICS Dr Noshina Saleem in her welcome address said that being the first seat of journalism education in South Asia, several politicians and journalists had the honor of studying in this department since its inception. “Today our students have outshined in every field of life, I believe all these students are shining stars of the future,” she said. For the first time in country’s history, media graduates 
took oath to abide by journalistic values and ethics.
Graduates takes OATH
The graduating students took following oath:
“I take oath that I will always abide by the journalistic principles, professional ethics and promote truth, and that I will defend human rights and the Constitution of Pakistan in a highly responsible manner, and that I will never indulge in one-sided propaganda and blackmailing, and I will always use my pen as per the journalistic ethics keeping in my mind the sanctity of words”. Many professional journalists also received their degrees and medals in the ceremony.
Distinguished Graduates
Capital TV Bureau Chief Javaid Farooqi, Press Information Department Deputy Director Babar Raza (Gold Medal), Geo News Anchorperson Meray Mutabiq programme of Hassan Nisar Shajia Niazi, Newscaster Din News Zunaira Khalid, Reporter Waqt News Burhan ud Din, Dunya News Crime Reporter Umer Javed, Dawn News Political Reporter Arif Malik, Daily Times Webdesk Faisal and Staff Reporter The Educationist Ali Arshad were also among the graduates who were awarded degrees.