Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab University Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) on Saturday held its first ever graduation ceremony, which conferred degrees on 249 students.

The ceremony conferred degrees on students belonging to different study programmes including Masters, BS (Hons) and PhD. As many as 39 medals were also distributed among the shining students on the occasion. A total of 33 students of BS (Hons), 49 students of MSc Communication Studies (morning), 59 MSc Communication Studies (Replica), 89 MSc Development Journalism and 18 students of MSc Film and TV received their degrees in the ceremony.

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Dean Dr Zakaria Zakir, PU Controller Examiner Dr Shahid Muneer, ICS Director Dr Noshina Saleem, senior journalists Dr Mahdi Hassan, Salman Ghani, Najam Wali Khan, anchorperson Imran Khan, Ahmad Waleed, faculty members of ICS, students and their parents were also present in the graduation ceremony.

Dr Mujahid Kamran in his speech said that media has the power to create any perception about any incident in the world; every journalist should prioritise the responsible journalism, as media’s role cannot be denied in this era. He said that it is media, which can show people a truth as false and a fake story as a truth. Giving example of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting incident in US, he said that it was a mock exercise by security forces and was presented by media as a terrorist attack in which news of death of students was also spread. In actual, not a single student lost his life during that incident, he added. Renowned writer Jim Fetzer in his book ‘No Body Died’ also claimed this and revealed the truth behind the issue, Dr Mujahid said.

The vice chancellor congratulated the management for organising the graduation ceremony and said that it was decided last year that faculties should organise their own graduation ceremonies, as many students are unable to get degrees in the main convocation.

ICS Director Dr Noshina Saleem in her welcome address said being the first seat of journalism in South Asia, several politicians and journalists had the honour of studying in this department since its inception. “Today our students have outshined in every field of life, and I believe all the graduating students are shining stars of the future,” she added.

For the first time in the country’s history, vice chancellor took an oath about journalistic values was from the graduating students.