Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab University’s Institute of Communication Studies (ICS) on Saturday held its first ever graduation ceremony, which conferred degrees on 249 students, including several renowned journalists and anchorpersons.

Thirty three students of 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 were awarded degrees.

Punjab University Vice Chancellor Dr Mujahid Kamran, Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences Dean Dr Zakaria Zakir, PU Controller Examiner Dr Shahid Muneer, ICS In-charge Director Dr Noshina Saleem, senior journalist Dr Mahdi Hassan, Salman Ghani, Najam Wali Khan, anchorperson Imran Khan, Ahmad Waleed, several other journalists, faculty members of ICS, students and their parents attended the ceremony.

ICS In-charge Director 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 honour of studying in this department since its inception. “Today our students had outshined in every field of life, I believe all these students are shining stars of the future,” she said.

Dr Mujahid Kamran in his speech said that media had the power to create any perception about any incident in the world. Every journalist should prioritise responsible journalism, because media’s role cannot be denied in this era, he said.

While giving example of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting incident in US, he said that it was a mock exercise by security forces that was presented by media as a terrorist attack in which news of death of students was also spread.

In reality, not a single student lost his life in that incident, and renowned writer Jim Fetzer in his book “No Body Died in the Sandy Hook” also claimed this and revealed the truth behind this, he added.

The vice chancellor also 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 were unable to get degrees in the main convocation.