Report - Humanitarian Journalism During Armed Conflicts and Emergencies

Two-Day Training Workshop for Editors of Religious Media
16-17 May, 2023 | 25-26 Shawwal, 1444

International Committee of the Red Cross
31, Shabbir Sharif Road, G-11 Markaz, Islamabad.
T 051 8842001, F 051 8314788
E-mail: [email protected]
www.icrc.org
© April 2023, ICRC
Two-Day Training Workshop for Editors of Religious Media
16-17 May, 2023 | 25-26 Shawwal, 1444

INTRODUCTION 01
COLLABORATION BETWEEN IPS AND ICRC 02
SCHEDULE OF THE WORKSHOP 03
INAUGURAL SESSION 05
RC & RC MOVEMENT AND HUMANITARIANISM: AN INTRODUCTION 06
SESSION II 09
HUMANITARIAN DISASTERS & HUMAN LIFE 09
PROTOCOLS OF HUMANITARIAN JOURNALISM 11
SESSION III 13
COMPLEX HUMANITARIAN DISASTER: AN APPRAISAL 13
GATHERING, SORTING, HANDLING AND PRESENTING INFORMATION DURING CRISIS 15
SESSION IV 16
STUDY CIRCLE: HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR BASIC PRINCIPLES 17
LAW ON PROTECTION OF MEDICAL FACILITATION AND PERSONNEL 19
HEALING WOUNDS THROUGH HUMANITARIAN JOURNALISM 21
SESSION V 23
APPROACHING A HUMANITARIAN SITUATION AS A JOURNALIST 23
HANDS-ON TRAINING OF REPORTING/ANALYZING HUMANITARIAN SITUATIONS 24
CONCLUDING SPEECH 25
VOTE OF THANKS 26
LIST OF THE PARTICIPANTS 27
GLIMPSES OF THE PROCEEDINGS 28
HUMANITARIAN JOURNALISM DURING ARMED CONFLICTS & EMERGENCIES 01
Islam and its principles are deeply embedded in Pakistan's social fabric. The Pakistani society is known for its
religiosity and ideological affiliation. Thousands of religious education institutions (REIs) or madaris
(singular: madrassa) can be seen throughout the country; from modern urban vicinities to remote rural areas.
These institutions impact the spiritual and social aspects of life, both at individual and collective levels.
By facilitating literacy and religious education of several hundred thousand students, the role and significance
of the REIs cannot be overlooked. Major REIs routinely engage their students and faculty in academically
productive activities like research, editing, compilation, and authorship. They also reach out to the public
through publication of books, magazines, journals and social media outlets. The periodicals (weekly,
fortnightly, monthly, quarterly and biannual journals and magazines) published by these institutions are the
major medium to promote, propagate, and amplify their socio-religious thoughts and stance on a range of
social issues.
Traditionally, these periodicals are not prepared and edited by professionally trained staff. Teachers, students,
and affiliates of these institutions contribute to these journalistic and outreach media in production of the
content, publishing it, and then distributing it among the public. This helps them develop their skills in a
'learning-by-doing' mode. The audience, who typically subscribe to the worldview of the particular institution
and are emotionally attached to it, heavily rely on these mediums in fashioning their lives and developing their
approaches.
Apart from religious magazines, national and local daily newspapers also focus on social issues from a religious
perspective through their weekly religious editions. Almost all national Urdu dailies specify some place for
religious writings in such editions. Many newspapers which publish weekly magazines also include religious
content. The role of these religious editions in opinion-making of the general public, particularly women and
the elderly, is significant.
Religious magazines, newspapers, newsletters and journals give considerable importance to the day-to-day
affairs of the society. Issues facing Muslim countries and societies are a major concern for them. Drawing
inspiration from the concept of a universal Muslim brotherhood, Muslim Ummah, they routinely write on
natural disasters or human conflicts troubling the Muslim nations across the world, their short-term and
long-term impacts and relief and rehabilitation activities in the affected areas. Editorials, reports, special
features, and analyses discuss various dimensions of humanitarian problems. One aspect of this kind of
journalism involves reporting of the relief activities being carried out by faith-inspired relief organizations.
Magazines sharing religious or sectarian identity with these NGOs promote their humanitarian works, publish
appeals for funds, and acknowledge their services in areas affected by emergencies.
At times, the comment on humanitarian action may seem inspired by the common suspicion about the foreign
organizations and international agencies on how their priorities and work models might ignore the more
pressing issues and potentially disturb the local values. This paranoia, when put in its historical context, might
create misunderstandings and hamper the rescue, relief, and rehabilitation services of the neutral
humanitarian agencies too. In the absence of proper professional training, the orientation and understanding
of the specialized area of humanitarian services is more likely to be flawed and event problematic.
Wherever professional training and the right information is missing, neutral or at least a balanced approach
can hardly be ensured; more so in the crisis situations when the facts are often overshadowed by rumors, fears,
expectations, and misinformation. At the same time, inadequate exposure of the scope and services of global
humanitarian networks and issues in their services also poses an obstacle in the way of quality reporting and
analysis. This realization has brought the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, and the ICRC together.
02 HUMANITARIAN JOURNALISM DURING ARMED CONFLICTS & EMERGENCIES
The ICRC and IPS have been working together to promote the spirit and message of the humanitarian
principles, particularly in the realm of humanitarian action in Pakistan. In 2019, a two-day national seminar
explored the coherence between the humanitarian principles and Islamic teachings and practices. Key figures
from the religious and legal fraternities participated in the event and its proceedings resulted in an Urdu book
titled Islām aur Takrīm e Insāniyat kay Usūl. Another two-day national conference took place in Karachi in
November 2021 with the title Islam & Humanitarian Principles: Prospects and Challenges. Its proceedings have
also been published in another Urdu book titled Islām aur Ghair Janibdarāna Insāni Khidmāt.
A national workshop for editors of the religious periodicals in October 2022 was another outcome of this
mutual collaboration. Editors from across the country represented the cross-section of religious
classifications. This workshop gave much-needed orientation to the editors of influential religious journals on
various aspects of humanitarian journalism. The lectures and simulations of this workshop generated visible
interest among the participants and was reflected in the next issues of their respective periodicals.
Realizing the knowledge vacuum and effectiveness of this exercise, the ICRC and IPS agreed to repeat this
workshop with a different set of participants. A two-day regional workshop for editors of religious periodicals,
religious sections of Urdu dailies, and multimedia units of prominent religious educational institutions in the
provinces of Sindh and Balochistan was organized at Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi, on 16 and 17 May 2023. The
purpose of this regional workshop was to engage those religious media outlets that could not join the first
workshop. The workshop was aimed at enhancing the participants' capacity to understand the humanitarian
principles, to get basic knowledge of the global network of humanitarian services, and improve their
understanding and analyses of natural and man-made crises in a professional manner. Despite the fact that
Pakistan has faced several and diverse emergency situations, humanitarian journalism is hardly understood as
a distinctive field of reporting and analysis even among the mainstream media organizations. The two
workshops on this subject offered an opportunity to the senior media professionals to better understand the
concept and its application on ground.
Over 30 participants, including 10 women, from different cities of Sindh and Balochistan represented their
respective organizations. The resource persons included renowned humanitarian journalists, seasoned relief
workers, academics, and health professionals. The proceedings included lectures, interactive discussions, and
practical activities spread in six sessions. The following pages offer glimpses into the proceedings of this
interesting event.
DAY ONE
16 MAY 2023 | 25 SHAWWAL 1444
Inaugural Session
Topic Resource Person Affiliation
Sub-editor, Akhuwat, Matiari,

Recitation from the Holy Qur'an Mudassir Ahsan
Sindh
Na'at of the Holy Prophet SAWW Hamid Mahmood Qadri Editor, Al-Madina, Karachi
Introduction and Ice-breaking Syed Nadeem Farhat Research Fellow, IPS
RC & RC Movement and Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani Regional Advisor for Islamic
Humanitarianism: An Introduction Law and Jurisprudence, ICRC
Tea Break 10:30-10:40
Session II
Lectures & Interactive Session
Humanitarian Disaster & Fawwad Ahmed Khan Emergency Management

Human Life Sherwani Professional
Protocols of Humanitarian Aamir Latif Anadolu Agency

Journalism
Q/A & Discussion
Lunch & Prayer Break 13:00-14:00
Session III
Lectures & Interactive Session
Complex Humanitarian
Faizullah Khan ARY News, Karachi
Disaster: An Appraisal
Q/A & Discussion
Gathering, Sorting, Handling and

Shabbir Soomro 92 News, Karachi
Presenting Information during
Crisis
Q/A & Discussion
Tea
DAY TWO
17 MAY 2023 | 26 SHAWWAL 1444
Session IV Study Circle & Lectures
Study Circle: Humanitarian Syed Nadeem Farhat Research Fellow, IPS

Organizations and their Basic
Principles
Q/A & Discussion
Law on Protection of Dr. M. Bilal Siddiqui SZABIST, Karachi

Medical Facilities & Personnel
Q/A & Discussion
Healing Wounds through Muhammad Tahir Editor, Daily Jurrat, Karachi

Humanitarian Journalism
Q/A & Discussion
Tea
Session V Group Activities
Personal Diaries on Humanitarian

Syed Nadeem Farhat Research Fellow, IPS
Situations & Hands-on Training
of Reporting/Analyzing
Naufil Shahrukh GM Operations, IPS
Humanitarian Situations.
Lunch & Prayer Break 14:00-15:00
Concluding Session
Topic Speaker Affiliation
Head of the ICRC

Concluding Remarks Nicolas Lambert
Delegation in Pakistan
Regional Advisor for Islamic
Vote of Thanks Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani
Law & Jurisprudence, ICRC
Distribution of Certificates
The participants of the workshop from other cities had arrived the previous day while the Karachi residents
also reached the venue at the allocated time. After recitation of verses from the Holy Qur'an and poetic tribute
to the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon him), the workshop began with a brief ice-breaking
session. Syed Nadeem Farhat, IPS Research Fellow and lead trainer of the workshop, welcomed the
participants and explained the objectives of the workshop. Each participant was requested to introduce himself
and apprise the other participants of their periodical and the institution that published it. The brief statements
of the participants not only showcased the linguistic, cultural, and sectarian diversity at the event but also
indicated the different dimensions and levels of social engagement for each of the participants and their
respective institutions.
The lead trainer explained the house rules and briefly responded to the questions on the scope and schedule of
the event. He gave a background of the workshop and shared the collaborative initiatives of the ICRC and IPS. It
was a matter of satisfaction for the audience that the senior leadership of every Muslim faction remained part
of the previous events in the series of collaborative events and had also contributed to them. While the
proceedings of the two previous events were reflected in the two books on humanitarian principles and
humanitarian action, the participants were particularly curious about the first workshop on humanitarian
journalism for the editors of religious media.
As a keynote speaker and co-organizer of the workshop, Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani of the ICRC also welcomed the
editors and thanked them for their presence. In the presence of seasoned editors, each of whom was a religious
scholar, and in the company of prominent journalists and humanitarian workers, he shared his anticipation for
active engagement and focused discussion on the topics of the workshop.
In his keynote address, Dr. Rahmani gave a detailed review of the history, structure, functioning and services of
the ICRC. He also touched upon the engagement of the ICRC with world religions, particularly Islam and
Islamic scholars. The next section covers the key points of his presentation.
Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani

Regional Advisor for Islamic Law & Jurisprudence, ICRC
The essence of humanitarianism is to serve human beings with respect and dignity.
History and the holy scriptures narrate that empathy and affection have always
motivated humans to look after the needs of each other. The ICRC is a major initiative
that has institutionalized and channelized this inherent human value as a global
movement. The ICRC was founded in 1863 in Switzerland by a kind merchant Henry
Dunant. Its aim is preserving human life and dignity during the most testing times of
wars and emergencies. This specialized humanitarian agency has the mandate to
attempt healing the wounds of the affected and alleviating the intensity of their
sufferings through its humanitarian services.
The first Geneva Convention was signed in 1864 by 12 European countries. As other states continued joining the
initiative, the need for national humanitarian societies was felt and now almost every country has its own
national society with the name of Red Cross or Red Crescent. The ICRC, 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent
societies, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) jointly constitute the
Red Cross and Red Crescent (RC & RC) Movement. The common feature which connects them and binds them
together is the commitment to the fundamental humanitarian principles that are found in all religions,
civilizations, and regions of the world.
Muslim states too joined the RC & RC Movement in its early years. The Ottoman Empire established its national
society in June 1868. The Swiss founders of the ICRC derived its emblem from the Swiss flag to have red cross
over white background. People from other cultures, particularly Muslims, considered it to signify the Christian
origin of the Committee. To address the concern, the Ottoman Empire was allowed to opt for another
distinctive emblem. They reversed their own flag to derive the red crescent with a white background. More
recently, the Movement has opted for Red Crystal as a neutral distinctive emblem.
The humanitarian principles evolved out of the humanitarian work in armed conflicts. The seven fundamental
principles, each of which has a background, were adopted through a process of evolution. They now include i)
humanity; ii) neutrality; iii) impartiality; iv) voluntary service; v) universality; vi) independence; and vii)
unity. These universally accepted principles apply to all situations and help relief agencies and groups to work
together keeping their differences aside.
The ICRC serves in humanitarian disasters caused by wars, widespread violence, and natural disasters. It,
therefore, particularly focuses on skills related to war which include physical rehabilitation, health,
management of the dead bodies, training of the first emergency responders, etc. The IFRC works as a
coordinating force between respective national societies during natural disasters like earthquakes, floods,
famines, etc. The universal logo (be it cross, crescent or crystal) and flag of the Movement is equally
respectable for all states, governments and non-government bodies. The logos of the Movement provide
protection during wars and other situations of violence and identification during peace time, while the
fundamental principles help the Movement workers to win confidence of various factions and allow them to
carry out relief and rehabilitation.
In broader term, there are three components of the services carried out by the ICRC. These include i) protection;
ii) assistance; and iii) prevention. One aspect of the first component, for example, is protection and well-being
of the prisoners of war. Ensuring their legal rights, informing the bodies concerned in case they are being
mistreated or tortured and making sure of safe return to their home countries when the war is over comes
under the first component. A similar example of protection is ensuring the basic rights of internally displaced
persons.
The second component is assistance which is extended, for example, in the form of providing first aid to those
wounded in an area where armed conflict has happened, ensuring the availability of full medical treatment to
them, and providing basic necessities like shelter and water to the displaced people. The ICRC's Rapid
Deployment Force is specialized in ensuring the availability of first-hand needs including water, shelter and
first aid to the victims of any conflict.
The third component of the ICRC's working is prevention. Since its early days, the ICRC has propagated and
campaigned for the formulation of some agreed upon legal processes in order to bring armed conflicts in
certain limits. Islam gave this concept more than 1,400 years ago which is called Adāb al-Qitāl in the
terminology of the Islamic jurisprudence. The ICRC promoted this idea to urge states to enter such mutual
agreements in order to prevent unnecessary human sufferings in an armed conflict.
The first Geneva Convention of 1864 set a historical example in this regard in which 12 states reached an
agreement to introduce a law according to which wounded soldiers were entitled to medical care. This
convention paved the way for further discussions in the next four Geneva Conventions, resulting in the current
regime of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). The IHL covers the basic rights of not only the combatants
but also the non-combatants and civilians. The IHL is generally in alignment with the Islamic Law of War
which also directs its believers to only target the combatants in an armed conflict. Moreover, the IHL also
restricts the use of weapons in a war. It, therefore, prohibits the use of WMDs, chemical weapons, and other
disastrous ammunitions. Propagation of the IHL and educating all stakeholder about it is one of the
fundamental responsibilities of the ICRC. However, it does not have any legal authority to implement the law,
something that is the responsibility of the states. This is the moral duty of each state to abide by it and all states
have a collective duty to ensure its implementation.
In 1998, the ICRC started engaging with Muslim scholars and institutions. This engagement was aimed at
finding the common features between the Islamic Law of War and the IHL to spread awareness in Muslim
states and societies. It was in 2004 that the ICRC, in collaboration with the International Islamic University
Islamabad, convened the first international conference of Muslim religious scholars and intellectuals in
Islamabad. This international conference was graced by globally recognized Islamic scholars including Sheikh
Wahbah al-Zuhayli from Syria, Dr. Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi from Pakistan, Dr. Sulaiman Abalkhail from Saudi
Arabia, and many others from all parts of the Muslim world. After detailed discussion, the scholars agreed on
the compatibility between IHL and Islamic Law and Jurisprudence. Many other such conferences were
subsequently held in Iran, Afghanistan, Uganda, Morocco, Bangladesh, and the Arab world.
Apart from the IHL, the ICRC has also been collaborating with different institutions in the Islamic world to
spread knowledge regarding the humanitarian principles. In Pakistan too, the ICRC collaborates with
universities, research organizations and such other academic bodies.
The ICRC invites Islamic scholars and religious leaders for discussion and debate on the common topics of
humanitarian concern, to learn from them, and to educate the common citizens who listen to them. The
Communication Department of the ICRC has conducted several workshops and training programs on IHL and
humanitarian journalism for general media persons. This became an inspiration for us to organize similar
media workshops for the representatives of religious media which has its readership in every corner of the
country. This is our second milestone in this journey and we hope to continue the same in the coming months
and years.
Open discussion followed the proceedings in which participants made valuable additions to the conversation
through their questions and comments. These questions and comments are given below.
Syed Muhammad Abbas: Ensuring neutrality and impartiality in relief and rehabilitation is an uphill task
keeping in view such a vast variety of religious, lingual, racial, ethnic, ideological and political differences.
Many groups also promote their own agendas under the garb of humanitarian services. How does the ICRC
tackle such challenges while keeping its principles intact?
Dr. Rahmani: The ICRC has an experience of around 160 years of humanitarian work which has taught the
organization so many lessons regarding its functioning in a world full of different shades and colors.
Therefore, it first maintains diversity and balance in its own team. People from diverse ethnic, cultural and
religious backgrounds work together under its umbrella. The organization has a strict system of training for its
staff, the primary component of this system is to train its employees to keep their biases of every kind aside as
long as they are part of the ICRC team. Moreover, the organization also has a strict code of conduct for its
volunteers, violation of which is not tolerated. In such a scenario, one rarely expects any mistreatment on part
of the ICRC and it strengthens trust of the states, governments, groups and individuals in the ICRC.
Muhammad Humayun Zafar: What has the ICRC been doing for the training and preparedness of the common
people in time of an emergency?
Dr. Rahmani: The problems facing the world are so immense that a single organization cannot address them
on its own, no matter how well-equipped and full of resources. Therefore, the ICRC has some set targets and it
focuses only on the targeted areas for which the donors support them. Training and education of the civilian
population of a country regarding first aid is essentially the responsibility of the national society which in this
case is Pakistan Red Crescent Society. The ICRC extends financial support to it to conduct first aid training and
spread awareness on disaster preparedness.
Abdur Rahman Sani: What has the ICRC done and achieved so far to get those laws implemented which came
into being due to the organization's efforts?
Dr. Rahmani: Like any other legal arrangement, there are flaws and obstacles in the implementation of IHL and
other relevant laws. However, something in hand is better than nothing. Primarily, lawmaking itself is the duty
of states, not the ICRC or any other non-government organization. The ICRC only persuades states and global
institutions for the formulation as well as implementation of laws in the greater interest of humanity. The ICRC
has many achievements to its credit as its work is not limited to only the promotion of IHL but also many other
spheres like health, physical rehabilitation, management of the dead, taking care of prisoners of war (PoWs)
and highlighting different issues of humanitarian concern. However, as is the human nature, the achievements
are seldom acknowledged and failures make headlines.
Zehra Amir: How the local humanitarian groups can contact the ICRC to coordinate in the field during
emergencies in Pakistan?
Dr. Rahmani: As mentioned earlier, the ICRC carries out its field operations in coordination with the Pakistan
Red Crescent Society. However, if there is a disaster of great volume and intensity, like the earthquake of 2005,
the ICRC then starts its direct field operations in coordination with the Movement partners. Local NGOs can
contact the Society for better coordination in humanitarian services.
This session comprised two lectures followed by an interactive session. Mr. Fawwad Ahmed Khan Sherwani
was the first to deliver his talk on “Humanitarian Disaster & Human Life”. Through the use of a multimedia
presentation and flipcharts, this resource person garnered sufficient interest to engage the participants in a
debate over different forms and shapes of humanitarian disasters and their immediate and long-term effects.
Afterwards, seasoned journalist Aamir Latif delivered his talk on “Protocols of Humanitarian Journalism”.
He displayed several news items on humanitarian issues and played videos from his coverage of disaster
situations. The real-life examples too proved helpful in conveying the right message and generating the
required interest.
Key themes of this session are presented below.
Fawwad Ahmed Khan Sherwani

Emergency Management Professional
Disasters are serious disruptions to the functioning of a community that exceed its
capacity to cope using its own resources. The WHO defines disaster as an occurrence
disrupting the normal conditions of existence and causing a level of suffering that
exceeds the capacity of adjustment of the affected community.
Disasters can be caused by natural, man-made or technological hazards, including

various factors that influence the exposure and vulnerability of a community. Mainly
they are divided under two broader categories: those caused by nature, like
earthquakes, floods, and epidemic diseases; and those produced due to human
activity, including wars, armed conflicts, deforestation leading to severe climate
issues, etc.
Pakistan has gone through both forms of disasters. It has faced earthquakes, floods, epidemic diseases, and
climate change. A large portion of the country remained disturbed by armed violence in which people were
displaced, they faced the worst economic setbacks and were deprived of many basic rights.
A disaster situation overwhelms the resources and disrupts life. The community and its social, political, and
administrative structure have to look for assistance from other groups, agencies, and organizations to address
the impact of the situation. A disaster may harm individuals physically – in form of deaths and injuries;
psychologically – in the form of fear leading to sheer disappointment, depression, frustration and mental
diseases; and economically –in form of loss of properties, goods, eatables, crops, businesses, etc.
Humanitarian work is a set of pre- and post-disaster activities. Preparedness and mitigation are the two
components of pre-disaster planning. Whether a journalist, or a humanitarian worker, the person planning to
visit a disaster-hit area must be prepared for this job. This includes narrowing down the scope of work and
focusing on the task for which the journalist has prepared. For instance, a journalist should not normally act as
a humanitarian field worker as it might cause complications both for the journalist and members of the
affected population. The reporter or the commentator should have necessary geographic and demographic
details of the area which is in focus. A fair idea of the landscape always helps. A humanitarian worker or
reporter should have a list of the people or groups who may potentially offer assistance in case of need.
Rescue is always the first step of humanitarian work. For that, humanitarian groups must make coordinated
efforts, preferably with support of relevant government agencies. Personal and collective safety of the
humanitarian workers must also be ensured.
Rescue operations are followed by relief activities. While carrying out relief work, it is important for the
humanitarian workers to positively engage with victims, individually and collectively. The situation which the
victims are going through disappoints them and often they suffer from psychological and mental problems. To
overcome periods of disappointment and depression, they need a ray of hope. They need someone who could
show them normal life at the end of their miseries. No one can fulfil this job better than a humanitarian worker.
This is because he is closer to the victims than anyone else and he has already won their respect and sympathies
with his dedicated relief work.
Disaster, when it befalls upon an area or community, does not spare any class and segment. But some segments
of the affected community are more vulnerable than others. They can be vulnerable due to their social or
financial situation and physical condition. They may include people with disabilities; people with chronic
illness; frail elderly people; children, especially unaccompanied children; pregnant women; people with
pharmaceutical dependencies; people with limited access to transportation; people with limited local
education skills; and people with different cultural values, religious beliefs or nationalities. The needs and
requirements of these vulnerable segments in an affected area must be given particular consideration while
designing, planning and executing rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations. Their particular health, food,
sanitary and safety needs should be addressed along with general requirements of the victim community.
Lastly, humanitarian work includes rehabilitation process. Rehabilitation is a comprehensive process which
includes, for example, victims returning home, reconstruction of their homes, reopening of educational
institutions, reestablishing economic activity, etc. It is a long-term process which generally takes years and
requires huge resources. Due to its longitudinal dimension and financial costs, it cannot be completed on
individual basis. It is mostly done by the relevant governments with assistance and support from the
international community and big humanitarian organizations.
To sum it up, humanitarian work requires dedication, motivation, hard work, with professional training on top
of all. Humanitarian groups and individuals have to develop excellent coordination at all stages in order to
multiply the outcomes of their efforts.
Syed Muhammad Abbas: Pakistan has faced almost all kinds of disasters mentioned in this lecture. This has,
perhaps, developed a spirit of cooperation, voluntary work and mutual support among Pakistani citizens which
we observe during emergencies. It is, however, noticed that Pakistani people, in general, lack professional
skills required for rescue and relief which ultimately becomes a hindrance in the way of organized
humanitarian work.
Fawwad Sherwani: I totally agree with you. The importance of training for general public cannot be
underestimated. Trained people take action while the untrained only react which, sometimes, adds to the
gravity of a certain emergency. A general rule should always remain part of our life, which is, whenever any of
us comes across a sudden emergency situation, staying calm and prioritizing the things to be done in the given
scenario is often the key to success. We must try to get help without panic.
Aamir Latif
Journalist, Anadolu Agency
Impressions are often stronger than the reality. The images we present from our
reporting create impressions which, sometimes, benefit humanity and at other
times, might go against the collective good. Reporting and writing about the
humanitarian aspect of life is no exception. Journalists record disasters, the
miseries, the options, and present them to the world. This effort mostly draws public
attention to the issue and paves way for humanitarian operations.
We must remember that humanitarian reporting does not bear commercial

purposes. Its aim is to create a social impact in order to help the affectees of a
disaster. Therefore, a reporter, while dedicating time and effort to humanitarian
reporting, first needs to gauge the likely social impact of the work produced. The
approach to different dimensions of a situation to better serve humanity constitutes the crux of humanitarian
journalism.
Reporting creates sensitivity and awareness regarding disasters and conflict occurring in an area where public
access is restricted or reduced. A good reporter is one who attracts the attention of the humanitarian agencies
and helps them in gauging the intensity of the situation and strategize their work plan as per requirement. The
coverage done with a humanitarian angle propels donors and relief workers to play their role and helps them
identify the what, where, and how of the humanitarian work.
A professional reporter keeps an eye on human causes of a disaster and identifies it constructively. This helps
governments, international bodies, NGOs, civil society and individuals to understand the shortcomings which
need to be addressed in order to prevent a disaster in future.
The reporter must not forget that he/she is not an expert on disaster management. It is beyond the scope and
mandate of a journalist to offer expert opinion on how to overcome a disaster. They should consult the
professional experts on the subject and knit their views to make the message meaningful and credible.
Coming to the question of what stories do we need to report, there are two general types of humanitarian
stories. First, those which contain general information regarding a particular disaster. Being full of statistical
data, they are short-lived and suit generally the dailies and weeklies. They are of no use for the readers of
monthly periodicals because general information and statistical data rarely remains relevant after some time.
Second category is of exclusive stories reflecting different shades of life in a disaster-hit area.
For exclusive stories, we can focus on particular communities to explain how the disaster has changed their
lives. Or we can focus an individual and stay with him to understand the disastrous effects on his life. For
instance, school children can be focused to study how has education been affected in a flood-hit area. Such
stories attract massive global attention towards a specific issue and urge relevant groups to mobilize their
resources for restoration of normalcy in that particular area.
Another model is to dig up the situation in order to deeply explore what people have been suffering upon return
to their homes, for example. This model is helpful in revealing what these people need to restart their life from
zero. A reporter who follows this model needs to observe the actual situation by staying with the community to
eat, sleep and travel with them.
Reporting in a disastrous area is the depiction of miseries, wounds and helplessness of the affected
communities. At the same time, however, it can also capture and narrate the stories of courage, commitment,
hope, self-reliance, and determination of the native community. Such stories provide a positive image of not
only that community, but the country itself. A very recent example of such determination is from Juhi, a small
town of District Dadu in Sindh Province, where the locals were directed by the government to evacuate their
houses in the face of rising floods. They, however, decided not to give in and raised a 10 feet ring dyke to save
their homes from devastating floods.
Reporters must have geographical knowledge of their targeted area and should know which parts of that area
are most affected by a disaster. Secondly, they should also be aware of the local cultural norms and respect
cultural sensitivities while reporting. Victims of a disaster are psychologically disturbed and a little
mistreatment can offend them enough to create big trouble. In most of the eastern cultures direct
communication with women is not encouraged. Therefore, male reporters should not directly talk to women
unless they are granted permission for that. Similarly, pictures and videos should also be taken with consent
only. It is better to arrange a local guide during field reporting. The guide should be vigilantly and carefully
selected and verified in case of conflict reporting.
Taking relief goods to the disaster-hit areas and their distribution among the needy is not a humanitarian
reporter's job. He should only focus on his professional duty which, if performed well, may multiply the relief
action and services.
In short, humanitarian journalism is not an easy task at all. A humanitarian reporter has to be aware of his
scope, responsibilities and protocols of humanitarian journalism.
Shafiqullah Ismail: What are the basic protocols for reporting violence?
Aamir Latif: While doing live reporting of a violent situation, it is the first and foremost duty of reporters,
cameramen and, on top of that, their institutions, to ensure their safety and protection.
Reporters should try their best to avoid the 'my channel first' or breaking news culture by risking their own
lives. Undue pressures from media channels and the society create risks for field reporters and journalists
which mostly result in disastrous physical, mental, psychological and financial losses for the field staff.
The third session was the last for day one. Like the previous one, it also comprised two lectures followed by
discussion and Q/A. Mr. Faizullah Khan, a reputed field reporter, delivered his talk on 'Complex Humanitarian
Disaster: An Appraisal'. His speech was followed by a discussion unfolding practical dimensions of the topic.
Afterwards, Mr. Shabbir Soomro, from Daily 92 News, delivered his lecture on the topic 'Gathering, Sorting,
Handling and Presenting Information during Crisis'. Towards the end of this session, lead trainer Syed Nadeem
Farhat briefly interacted with the audience to reinforce some general principles of professional journalism.
Faizullah Khan
Senior Reporter, ARY News
Complex humanitarian disaster is a humanitarian crisis that aggravates to the level

that there is a breakdown of authority. The confusion and uncertainty leaves the
individuals or groups in a situation where they have no institution to look up to for
their security and basic requirements. In this situation of chaos, the economic
divisions may become brutal and socio-political fault lines may become lethal. A
complex humanitarian crisis lies at the intersection of layered causes, multiple
stakeholders, and widespread disaster. It can be an armed conflict arising out of a
weak law and order situation which ultimately leads to civil war badly affecting the
whole society. Such a scenario paves the way for external forces, neighboring states
and bodies like UNO, to intervene in order to reduce the miseries, deescalate the
combatants and restore law and order. Neighboring countries cannot ignore the disaster in their backyard
which may also have implications for them. Their overt or covert intervention, therefore, becomes inevitable.
Such a disaster can damage human life to a great extent. It may cause human casualties including civilian
bloodshed. It may also compel local communities to migrate in quest for peaceful shelter. Migration on a
collective scale not only disturbs the migrating community, but it can also disturb the social fabric and
economic conditions of the host communities.
In order to avoid long-term implications of a complex humanitarian disaster, international bodies and neutral
states have to come forward to mediate and facilitate negotiations between the conflicting parties.
Humanitarian workers as well as reporters have multiple obstacles in the way of their professional duties in an
area hit by complex humanitarian disaster. These obstacles can be of political or military nature. The lives of
humanitarian workers and reporters are, therefore, at constant risk. They may be killed, kidnapped,
humiliated, bribed, and looted.
In reporting from the areas hit by complex humanitarian crisis, it is often found useful to start from a case
study and then broaden it to help leaders understand the issue being reported. One may like to take an
individual as a starting point to paint the larger picture of disaster. This strategy helps us to highlight the actual
situation and the difficulties which people are facing.
Reporting should never be a bunch of statistical data. It must have a human touch and depict emotional
dimensions of the issue. While going to a disaster-hit area, a reporter should be aware of the socio-political
situation, ideological context, and clear details of the combating or otherwise interested parties.
The most important thing which a reporter has to ensure while covering a conflict zone is his neutral position.
He should keep his personal biases and ideological views aside while on professional duty. This is as difficult a
job as important because combating parties mostly want you to report only their side of the story and fulfil
their agenda. Otherwise, you may have to face the consequences. Similarly, media groups often have their own
agenda based on their ideological positions. This leaves little margin for a reporter to maintain a neutral
position.
Whether you are in a conflict zone or an area hit by natural disaster, you should try to maintain a safe distance
from mobs. Mob mentality is active in such circumstances and mobs may harm anyone going against their will.
Therefore, it is better to avoid interaction with mobs. Selection of diction and wording should also be careful.
Any loose wording in reporting may create trouble not only for the reporter, but for the media as a whole.
As a reporter, you should never blame victims for the disaster befalling them. It may add to their despair and
anger. In reporting, you can try to highlight different dimensions of a misery coming out of a conflict. This
sometimes pushes conflicting parties to rethink their position and go into ceasefire for the larger public
interest.
To sum it up, journalists and reporters are not party to a conflict and they should not openly stand with one
group against the other. They must also be vigilant to avoid being used for the interest of one party or the other.
Omar Anwar: Contrary to the textbook emphasis on objectivity and neutrality, we find large, reputed,
multinational media groups reflecting their ideological and political biases in their conflict reporting. What
may be their excuse or point of view?
Faizullah Khan: It is a fact that almost all major media groups train their reporters and editors on the best
practices of journalism but simultaneously have their specific policies, which might be motivated by their
corporate interests or the political interests of the official or non-official sponsors. Still, however, the large
media groups are more resourceful and their reporters may go the extra mile to uncover the less obvious
dimensions of a complex issue. This means that the presentations of these media groups are better in content
and quality. As audience or editors, you may always find substance in their news and analysis. But knowing the
inclinations and biases of different media persons and groups is always helpful, and an editor should have that
capacity and insight.
Following the brief discussion, the resource person offered a hypothetical scenario to the audience to reflect
and suggest their likely course of action.
Faizullah Khan: This is a question for mental exercise. Imagine a scenario where one party blames its
opponents of using women as human shields and children as warriors in a conflict. The other party to the
conflict brings this to your notice and urges you to report it for your media group in order to expose them to the
world. What should be your response?
Humaira Qureshi: I shall not make any commitment, nor shall I reveal my plan to them. I shall verify and
carefully analyze the given information first and will report it per my honest understanding.
Syed Muhammad Abbas: As a professional reporter, I shall do my own research first. In this case, I shall also
interact with the opponent party.
Abdul Wahid Chachar: If the danger to the welfare of innocent lives is imminent, it will be better to approach
law enforcing agencies and update them regarding the information.
Mahmood Kharani: After some basic verification, we can make this information part of our reporting, but
without putting the lives of the vulnerable at further risk.
Commenting on these responses, the resource person said that the approaches and strategies may be different
in a given situation but it is important that the responses indicate the principles of independence, neutrality,
and humanity, which are at the core of humanitarian journalism.
Shabbir Soomro
Magazine Editor, 92 News
Journalism in a crisis situation is very sensitive and tricky. The fear and anticipations
among the people often take the form of rumors, which are readily believed and
quickly transmitted. To add to the complexity of the situation, misinformation is
spread by the interest groups who want to exploit the situation to their benefit. The
quest for breaking the news and exclusivity of content may urge the journalists to
forego some of the precautions that help them investigate the truth. The sensitivity
and risk multiply with internal and external pressures on reporters, writers, and
editors to prefer one set of facts over the other. This is where a reporter, a writer, and
an editor is tested for professionalism and integrity. The pains that have to be taken
to unearth the truth during crisis situations are much more than the normal
circumstances.
The first and foremost task of an editor at the desk is to validate and verify the reported information from
various credible and authentic sources. The editor has to realize that a reporter in a disaster-hit area has to rely
on one or more common individuals who are local and are willing to cooperate. Some of them might have
deliberately misguided the reporter or was misinformed due to his sketchy understanding. Despite the need for
local guides, total reliance on one or a couple of individuals may be problematic for reporting and may invite
trouble as well. A local person, even a grassroots journalist, may have personal biases and limitations. This
means that a reporter should not enter a crisis-hit area without knowing about the context of the problem,
different stakeholders and their respective stakes.
In selection of the content to be collected, reported or published, a key consideration has to remain the cultural
sensitivities of the affected population. Lack of understanding of the local cultural norms, ethnic and religious
sensitivities, as well as emotional attachments and sensitivities may offend the locals or harm them in physical
and psychological terms.
The name and reputation of a periodical or channel also matters as far as the collection of information is
concerned. You can be facilitated or denied in this process based on credibility of your affiliation. This means
that a journalist or a media organization cannot be selectively objective. It has to maintain its integrity in all
times and circumstances.
In some cases, an editor or a writer may have sufficient information to uncover the truth, but writing and
publishing something is a decision that has to be made. A journalist has to consider the broader canvas of
things where he does not compromise personal security or put the employer media organization in an
avoidable awkward situation, or more importantly, cause potential harm to a stakeholder. Even in ordinary
circumstances, reporters and editors receive threatening or humiliating responses. In such cases, it is advised
that a reporter or editor should submit complete information including the sensitivity involved to the editor or
owner to let them decide the publishability of the content.
If you are an editor, you have the liberty to sort out and publish information from field reporter after due
scrutiny. The real test of an editor lies in those reports which are true but potentially problematic. To ensure
protection of the reporter, remain committed to the truth, safeguard the vulnerable, and keep the team
encouraged and motivated to keep on digging out the facts, may require very careful handling of the
information.
In short, the protection of reporters as well as credibility and survival of the periodicals lies mainly on the
shoulders of the editor.
The second day of the workshop was a combination of lectures and practical activities. There were two
operational sessions, followed by the concluding ceremony. A study circle and two lectures were on the agenda
for Session IV. Session V comprised two group activities in which the participants were supposed to practically
exercise what they learnt in the workshop. The concluding ceremony was graced by Mr. Nicolas Lambert,
ICRC's head of delegation for Pakistan. Session-wise details of the day's proceedings follow.
The fourth session started with a study circle on humanitarian organizations and their basic principles. Based
on a joint Urdu publication of the ICRC and IPS, Islām aur Takrīm e Insāniyat kay Usūl (Islam and the
fundamental humanitarian principles), this interactive discussion was moderated by lead trainer Syed
Nadeem Farhat. The participants were provided with copies of the book a few days earlier and had gone
through the content. This helped generate an interactive environment in which the understanding of the
participants was assessed and further explained through recourse to a specific chapter of the book.
Two lectures followed the study circle, first of which was delivered by Dr. Muhammad Bilal Siddiqui, a
healthcare professional. He discussed the recently enacted law on protection of medical facilities and
personnel in the province of Sindh. The second speaker of the session was Muhammad Tahir, Editor-in-Chief
Daily Jurat Karachi, who talked about the humanitarian dimension of journalism and how the journalists
should remain committed to healing wounds through humanitarian journalism.
Key themes that emerged from these interactions are presented below.
Moderator: Syed Nadeem Farhat

Research Fellow, IPS
Editors and reporters who frequently observe, write, report, edit, and publish on
humanitarian issues must be aware of all stakeholders of a natural as well as man-
made disaster. Among others, humanitarian groups are a very important part of a
disaster-hit area and anyone reporting the issue can never ignore their role. But
unfortunately, due to lack of interaction, false information, and paranoid
understanding, this role is often undermined, if not seen and reported negatively. To
bridge this gap, we must know the basic principles, protocols, and priorities of the
humanitarian agencies. This does not mean, however, that all persons and
institutions claiming to be humanitarian should not be subjected to accountability
and questions. It only means that the commentators should be in a position to step
into their shoes and realize the conditions that they are often confronted with.
In conflict situations, humanitarian organizations have to face challenging scenarios during their rescue and
relief activities. These organizations have to play an active role in a conflict zone when the involved parties
have neither the ability nor the interest to take care of the basic humanitarian needs of a population. The
workers affiliated with such organizations cannot access the affected people without consent of the groups
which control the passage and the affected area. They have to win trust of the combatants before undertaking
the urgently required humanitarian services. In the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance,
the ICRC had to negotiate with around 40 conflicting parties.
In recent decades, the acts of extreme violence by non-state actors and the aggressive handling of them by the
states has resulted in severe violations of human rights. Since each of these sides was not ready to recognize the
legitimacy of the other, there were hardly any common grounds between them, even on the fundamental
human issues. The states were often not allowed to let any assistance into the areas captured by the violent
groups while the non-state groups were skeptical about any movement from the 'enemy' area into the land
under their control. In such situations of distrust, the neutral and impartial humanitarian groups were
disallowed and even harmed in their quest for humanitarian service.
The RC & RC Movement has strictly followed seven basic principles since its early days. It has not compromised
on these principles despite all odds. The first of these principles is humanity. This entails humanitarian work
on the basis of common human interest. Sympathy, universal brotherhood, and the quest to liberate humanity
from sufferings are the basis of this principle.
The second principle, impartiality, entails that the movement does not discriminate among individuals,
communities or nations on the basis of nationality, race, creed, class, or political affiliation. It focuses on
human needs and prioritizes its services on the basis of real-time urgency. In this course, it aligns non-
discrimination with proportionate assistance.
Neutrality is the third principle, which helps the Movement stay away from politics and focus merely on
human service. This gives confidence to all parties and stakeholders. As an organization, it strictly distances
itself from political, racial, religious or ideological divisions. It should be acknowledged that an individual
humanitarian worker might, and does, have certain affiliations and inclinations but the Movement does not
allow its workers to let their biases reflect in their work. The workers are trained and monitored to abstain from
their personal affiliations even in the toughest of circumstances and height of emotions. They remain focused
on their mission.
According to the fourth principle of independence, the Movement makes its decisions itself. It does not allow
any individual, party, state or organization to influence its agenda through the stick and carrot approach.
Signatory states of the Geneva Convention contribute to meet a large part of the ICRC's budget and some of
them might expect the Movement to protect their internal and external interests. Yet the Movement has been
maintaining its independence for the last 160 years despite immense pressures. National movements have to
assist their respective governments in handling humanitarian issues and obey local laws. They make sure that
even when they are working with the respective governments, the fundamental principles are not
compromised.
Humanitarian work, either in a conflict zone or in an area hit by a natural disaster, requires dedication,
motivation and devotion for voluntary service, which is the fifth principle of the movement. One cannot risk
life for humanity without voluntary spirit. The RC & RC Movement is mainly based on voluntary services
provided by its workers spread across more than 100 countries of the world.
The Movement's sixth principle is unity, which emphasizes that only one society in a country can be a direct
part of the Movement. Any person or group, willing to come under the flag of the Movement, will have to join
that organization through the national society. In this way, only the society shall have access to all parts of the
country with a mandate from the global RC & RC Movement.
The final humanitarian principle is universalism, which entails the all communities, societies and nations are
equally important for the Movement. It will provide its services to all people in need in all parts of the word, and
will employ individuals from all backgrounds.
Omar Anwar: What services has the ICRC been providing in Pakistan?
Dr. Rahmani: The ICRC has been working in the fields of physical rehabilitation, healthcare, awareness on
mines in border areas of Pakistan, spreading awareness of the International Humanitarian Law, making efforts
to connect Pakistanis held in foreign prisons with their families back home, etc. In this course, the ICRC
frequently engages with government agencies, military forces, police departments, academia, healthcare
practitioners, religious circles and law enforcing agencies.
Dr. Muhammad Bilal Siddiqui

SZABIST, Karachi
Pakistan's health system is generally divided into three broad categories. These are:
i) primary healthcare; ii) secondary healthcare; and iii) tertiary healthcare. Violence
against healthcare staff is common at all these levels. Victims of this violence may
include all cadres of healthcare workers, i.e. doctors, nurses, technical staff,
ambulance drivers, and even cleaners. Most incidents of violence occur in emergency
cases where doctors, nurses, or ambulance drivers are tortured for not meeting the
expectations of patients and their attendants. Ambulance drivers are most
vulnerable to violence. They are not only prone to physical torture but their vehicles
are also damaged by violent groups. Similarly, damaging property and machinery of
hospitals is also common.
In 2017, the ICRC launched a public awareness campaign regarding the movement of ambulances on the roads.
This was launched to educate people about the importance of giving way to ambulances, which almost always
need to reach a patient or a healthcare facility in a life-saving effort. The popular slogan of this campaign was
'Ambulance Ko Raasta Do' (Give way to the ambulance).
More recently, researchers and practitioners of law were urged by the ICRC to draft a law suggesting legal
measures to prevent violence in the healthcare sector. The bill was approved by the Provincial Assembly of
Sindh in 2021.
This Act is called the The Sindh Healthcare Service Providers and Facilities (Prevention of Violence and Damage
to Property) Act, 2021, and has two components. The first component deals with prevention of violence against
healthcare staff, while the second component ensures the right of way to ambulances.
In general, the law covers healthcare service providers including healthcare professionals and/or individuals.
According to this law, definition of violence not only covers verbal/physical force, but threatened, actual or
intended force against medical transport, property, facility or provider. The Act prohibits violence against
healthcare service facility or provider at any location while on duty, discharged in connection to or incidental to
their activities.
Along with these rights, the Act also imposes several responsibilities on the healthcare service providers. It
compels them to ensure that patients are aware and have understanding of the procedures of treatments.
Healthcare service providers, as per law, are duty-bound to furnish complete information of the patients in
writing. Confidentiality of patients must be safeguarded and they should not be discriminated against.
Healthcare providers have to ensure that they are adhering to these responsibilities.
The law prohibits violence, damage to property, and carrying arms into healthcare facilities. Non-compliance
can result in nonbailable imprisonment up to three years and/or a financial penalty of PKR 50,000 to PKR
300,000.
The implementation of this law can only be materialized with full support from healthcare providers and
general public on one hand, and law-enforcing agencies, on the other. Keeping this in view, campaigns
through print, digital and mass media have been launched. These public campaigns aim to raise awareness
regarding the legal rights and responsibilities of patients, their attendants and healthcare workers under this
Act; raise awareness among motorists and relevant stakeholders of the right of way for ambulances in traffic;
and promote the sentiment of trust and empathy among the general audience on the work undertaken by
healthcare workers and connect it with the significance of the new law.
In a nutshell, this development may prove to be a revolution not only in the healthcare sector, but also in taking
the nation to a more disciplined, civil and socially responsible position.
Muhammad Humayun Zafar: Government health facilities are often in a deplorable condition regarding
cleanliness and sanitation. Similarly, the facilities like equipment and subsidized medication which the
government provides in its hospitals are made unavailable through corrupt practices. These problems need to
be addressed first because they lead to violent reactions from the patients or their attendants.
Bilal Siddiqui: This is true. There are a number of factors which contribute to the violent incidents and they
should be eliminated. There is room for improvement in new legal arrangements. We should hope that the
issues raised by you are also addressed at some later stage.
Zain Feroze Hasan: While this law and the subsequent campaign is focused on raising awareness among
general public, it should be acknowledged that healthcare providers, including officers, physicians,
paramedical, and non-medical staff in the healthcare facilities too need training and awareness.
Bilal Siddiqui: Things will gradually improve and we shall address core issues. Even the current effort is not
restricted to general public. We are also educating healthcare staff working in government facilities and law
enforcement agencies.
Muhammad Tahir
Editor, Daily Jurrat, Karachi
Differences, opposition, conflict, and war are permanent and inseparable parts of
human life. With the gradual experience of many centuries, human society has learnt
to adjust and live with conflict. This is the reason that we see efforts to resolve
conflicts or at least regularize them under some laws and mitigate their effects, but
no serious efforts are made to turn this world into a no-conflict place. Journalists
operate in a world which is full of conflicts, clashes and violence. They have to fulfil
their official responsibilities while risking their lives.
There are a number of questions that vex particularly those reporters and journalists
who operate in conflict zones. What is their core duty as field journalists? Does it
suffice if they capture photos or dispatch news reports regarding the people affected
by a conflict or a natural disaster? Can they help the people on humanitarian grounds or is it beyond their
professional role? How can a journalist handle a situation in which his credibility is compromised if he helps
one party of the conflict out of human empathy? These are only a few out of a large number of questions that
have no clear answers.
It is a fact that honest and truthful reporting harms and enrages many interest groups. This may result in
violent reactions in the form of threats, torture, financial boycott, kidnapping, assassination, and threats to
family members.
Despite these perils, there is hardly any other job which is more fulfilling for the people who want to live a life
that makes a positive difference around them. The first and foremost duty in journalism is to maintain
neutrality and an unbiased approach. The words and sentences we form, the story and analysis we write and
the article we edit to publish must not be targeting a certain group of people. Our words and sentences should
be structured in a way that they do not cause harm to any particular community. Neither it should provoke its
opponents to become reactionary for revenge. Our reporting should fulfil the basic purpose of educating the
masses and conveying information to them without spreading terror. In short, it should not be agenda-driven
reporting.
We, the people in journalism, need to always remember one fact: taking up journalism as a profession might be
our choice, but once we enter this profession, we have no choice but to be professional and honest. Now it
becomes our core obligation to operate with honesty and become a torch-bearer of truthfulness, no matter
what the consequences might be.
It is another unfortunate truth that the media industry, mainly driven by commercial interests, might not
always go for the truth or stand by you when you are trying to be honest to your obligations. It is quite possible
that their agenda does not match the priorities of an honest professional reporter or editor. For example,
dozens of people might lose their lives in different street crimes in a major city, but this might not qualify as a
major concern for a media house but the death of one famous and influential person may be grieved for two
weeks.
Despite all odds, a journalist or any person who has access to and influence on the people must always remain
committed to humanity and remain true to the highest standards of integrity. Our voices and writings have the
power to change; let us use them to improve the lives of our fellow beings.
Journalists educate people and keep them updated through their reports, news stories, analyses and articles.
This makes them a towering figure in the society. You have heard it time and again here, that this responsibility
increases manifold in times of violence and natural calamities. If they do not prove their integrity, media
persons and media houses lose their respect and position among the public and we have seen this happening
recently, when citizen journalism has become more popular with the people than some established news
outlets.
Ehsan Elahi: We agree and have witnessed that the media may serve particular interests and can seemingly be
biased. In such a state of affairs, what reliable options do the common people have to understand the facts and
explore fair analyses?
Muhammad Tahir: In recent years, social media has emerged as a reaction to the inefficiency and agenda-
driven journalism of mainstream media. The so-called mainstream media is getting irrelevant and there are
hardly any corrective measures from the government or the media itself. Part of this phenomenon is the
unaccountable nature of social media. Since camera, mic, and streaming option is available to everyone, fake
news is in abundance. The mainstream media may be biased but it is subject to a system of institutional and
social accountability. So, there is no simple answer to your question. Unfortunately, most of the audience goes
after that version of news that conforms to their personal likes and dislikes. If, however, a regular listener
values impartiality and truth, such a person may soon identify those resources which are more reliable.
The last working session before the conclusion aimed at a quick recap of collective understanding of the
themes discussed during the preceding sessions and offered an opportunity to practice it in some
hypothetical situations. There were two parts of this session. In the first part, Syed Nadeem Farhat interacted
with the participants to reemphasize what they learnt in the previous sessions. The scenario of an earthquake
was also presented to the participants to put their analytical skills to work. The second part was moderated by
Mr. Naufil Shahrukh, who conducted a writing exercise with the participants. Key details follow.
Syed Nadeem Farhat

Research Fellow, IPS
The first part of this activity was based on an interactive discussion regarding the
basic humanitarian principles of the RC & RC Movement. This was aimed at
evaluating the participants' understanding of the fundamental principles. Several
participants explained what they understood of the principles of humanity,
impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universalism.
Participants were of the view that these principles of the Movement generally go
along with the teachings and traditions of Islam and that Muslims are required to
place humanity as a major priority in anything they do. They also agreed that with
these principles, humanitarian work can be more efficient, professional and long-
lasting.
The second part was based on a scenario in which the editor received the news that a distant area with a hard
terrain and strategic installations was hit by a disastrous earthquake. The editors were asked to list the
information they needed to fully make sense of the situation and inform their readers. The participants
collectively helped develop a list of things that they needed to know not merely for sharing the reports with
their audience but also educating them about an appropriate response. The discussion engaged almost
everybody and a rather detailed list of required information was prepared. It included:
 Magnitude of the earthquake;

 Its epicenter and radius;
 The areas affected;
 Geographical nature of the affected cities and towns;
 The nature of infrastructure in the affected area;
 Quick response mechanisms, rescue and healthcare facilities in adjoining areas;
 History of earthquakes and their impacts in that area;
 Any factors that could aggravate the situation like dams or other huge water reservoirs, ordnance depots,
sea, rocks, or other factors that may add to the intensity of this disaster;
 Modes of communication and transportation;
 Estimates of physical and financial losses; and
 Special needs in the affected areas that require urgent attention.
The participants were then asked to make an outline of their report for their respective periodicals. Salient
features of the report, as suggested by the participants, are mentioned below:
 Basic information as listed above;

 What are the urgent requirements there?
 What was and is the response from relevant government agencies?
 How could local and national humanitarian groups be urged and encouraged to carry out humanitarian
services?
 How to set priorities in the rescue and relief activities?
Naufil Shahrukh
GM Operations, IPS
Mr. Naufil Shahrukh started with further explanation of the general definition of
humanitarian journalism and discussed its application in recent times by citing
different situations. He classified journalism in the times of conflict and emergency
into two types; the first is based on traditional journalism and the second is not
entirely non-traditional but requires a distinct vision, approach, and treatment.
Traditional journalism includes simple reporting of events and incidents and
analysis of the possible strategies, outcomes, and impacts of a humanitarian
situation. The other one – humanitarian journalism – is solution-oriented and can
often contribute to averting a humanitarian situation, reducing the sufferings,
mobilizing public support, and even contributing to resolution of a conflict.
Going further, he discussed with the audience the diverse sources of motivations and inspirations for
humanitarianism, and help the participants realize the significance of putting their respective jobs into the
humanitarian perspective. It strongly emerged that religious teachings and
beliefs are always a powerful push for humanitarian workers.
Coming to the practical part of his session, Naufil Shahrukh reinforced the
importance of 5 Ws+1 H (What, Who, When, Where, Why and How) in the field
of journalism. Like any other form of journalism, an investigative mind and
techniques are always the key to success in humanitarian journalism.
The speaker emphasized that any analytical piece of writing should have
some vital components. It should carry the background of the topic as to what
is the nature of an issue and how is it being problematic. The second
component relates to causes – the push and pull factors which are igniting
this issue. Thirdly, the parties to the situation, their nature and approach in
broader terms, their viewpoint on the particular situation, their role and
interest in the conflict, demands, if any, and the correlation between all these
factors. Finally, the analysis and even the understanding requires an overall context and scenario in which this
issue has popped up, the trends, opportunities, prospects and challenges.
In view of this orientation, the participants were given an exercise to write a journalistic write-up of their
choice (column, editorial, news, feature, story, etc.) about a perceived scenario of civil war in a country that has
impacted large areas and population.
The participation in the exercise was avid and focused. In less than half an hour, most participants had
prepared their three-page write-up around the given situation. These writings in different genres took up
various dimensions of conflict but with the common factor of humanitarian approach. Their response was
encouraging insofar that it showed the participants' determination and will to work on the humanitarian front
of religious journalism.
After two interactive and happening days, the workshop came to an end with the concluding session. Mr.
Nicolas Lambert, ICRC head of delegation in Pakistan, had already joined the event along with his colleagues.
He attended the proceedings of the second day for several hours, informally interacted with participants and
organizers, and delivered a brief talk towards the end of the workshop. His talk was followed by a vote of
thanks by Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani. Afterwards, participation certificates and gift packs were distributed among
the participants. The event closed with group photos, best wishes and promises to keep in touch and make
positive contributions in the field of humanitarian journalism. Key points of the two talks are given in the
following pages.
Mr. Nicolas Lambert

Head of Delegation, ICRC in Pakistan
Thank you very much for hosting me today. It is a great honor to be here with you. I
arrived in Pakistan a few months back. But I have already worked in Peshawar in 2011
and right after that, I remained in Afghanistan for years so I know the region very
well. I am honored to have worked almost throughout the world, in Africa and Latin
America, and it is a great pleasure for me to be back in Pakistan. You must know by
now that the aim of the ICRC is to protect the victims of armed conflicts and other
situations.
It is true that now, unfortunately, due to the geopolitical tensions, most of the
conflicts are taking place in Muslim countries. We are working in Africa, Middle East,
Syria, and Sudan. It means that most of our staff is also Muslim and we have strong
coordination with national societies there. Our theme is always purely humanitarian and we always focus on
supporting the most vulnerable communities without any discrimination. We are engaged in Afghanistan,
although the regime there has no international recognition yet. Our aim is to support humanitarian activity and
action in order to help people of Afghanistan. And that is why, in many areas we also engage with non-state
armed groups in our quest to reach the most vulnerable communities.
As part of the ICRC, we only believe in the international humanitarian law and Geneva Conventions. These are
the only basis of our working.
I think, being part of this exercise, you must be aware by now that basic humanitarian principles can be found
in all human societies. Personally, I don't have any capability to talk about Islamic law and I don't have the
expertise to say anything, but thankfully, I have colleagues from the ICRC and the IPS who support us. This
quality is interesting that we are not about imposing, it's about discussions, and an open dialogue to reach out
and extract a common ground together.
The ICRC never had any intention of changing the society or changing the way how people live. This is the
reality that every society is right in its own way, but the purpose is to help and support the people. For example,
it is interesting that we depend on acceptance of the community where we work. We do not protect ourselves
through weapons. It is the society and the people who protect us.
I remember when I was in Kunduz, Afghanistan, the war was very tough but I felt safe because my colleagues
and community knew the ICRC, they knew we were there for them and I felt secure because I knew that the
community will protect me.
So, I hope that in these two days you managed to get to know us better, to understand us, international law and
Islamic perspective on it. And that is how together we can continue our relationship.
Thank you very much for your time, for coming here, particularly those who came from Balochistan and
interior parts of Sindh. We don't take your presence for granted. Therefore, I really want to thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani

Regional Advisor for Islamic Law & Jurisprudence, ICRC
I thank Allah Almighty, with Whose will and support we have been able to organize such a fruitful and
successful workshop. I am also thankful to all of you for honoring our invitation and for your dedicated
presence here for two full days. I must acknowledge that your interest and active participation has made this
event successful.
In its essence, this workshop was an exposure for both sides – not only for you who came here to learn but also
for those who wished to deliver. I believe that each of you feels enlightened not only on the subject of
humanitarian journalism but also on the contribution that each of us is making toward the betterment of
society in our different capacities. My understanding of your scholarship, topics, concerns, and contributions
has increased through formal and informal interactions during these two days.
Religious periodicals have their own strong and significant constituency. They have substantial influence in
their respective circles. This constituency and its influence needs to be utilized more productively for the
welfare of humanity. I do not claim that we have introduced you to humanitarianism, serving humanity,
neutrality, impartiality, independence, volunteerism, and other values of humanitarian sector. In fact, you all
belong to a tradition that has humanitarianism at its core. Through this workshop, we have only tried to expose
you to the current frameworks of humanitarian situations and action, and the approach towards them as a
member of the journalistic fraternity.
After two days of exposure, if you agree that humanitarianism is something considerable, and that it is
compatible with Islam, which we believe it is, then I urge you to promote it in your circles through writing and
speaking. This will be a great service to humanity. Humanity is passing through hard times of divisions,
conflicts, and polarization, and each of us needs to be more sensitive to the agonies of others and support to
mitigate them. Journalism has the key role to play in this regard. Identifying human issues in a conflict and
emergency, drawing attention towards them, and bridging the gaps is the role of humanitarian journalists.
One parameter for us to gauge the success and productivity of this workshop is what you produce about it. I
expect you to pen down your experience here. Whether you find the event and the approach conveyed to you
through it as an accomplishment or a concern, something positive in your context or detrimental in certain
ways, your expression will be helpful, and trust me, we look forward to be corrected wherever we are wrong or
explain ourselves better, if our message is not clear. But you should write at least one article for the next issue of
your periodical.
A lasting impact of this workshop will, however, emerge if you start picking up humanitarian issues for your
editorials and articles, and incorporate the message of this workshop in them.
Finally, I want to emphasize something. Some discussions during these two days might have debated the perils
and dangers of humanitarian work in some detail. They should not affect you negatively. If you have decided
that your commitment to safety and dignity of human life is the demand of your Lord, Allah, of your faith in
Him, and of your humanity, then no dangers or apprehensions should stop you from going an extra mile to help
the people in distress. One person can bring about a positive change in the lives of many. Value your conscience,
the pen that you have in your hand, and the medium that is available to you to spread the message of peace,
love, and cooperation. I once again thank you all.
Sr. Name Designation Magazine City
1 M. Owais Shahid Asst. Editor Monthly Tameer e Afkar Karachi
2 Mudassir Ahsan Asst. Editor Monthly Akhuwat Matiari
3 M. Faisal Shahzad Editor Monthly Khawateen ka Islam Karachi
4 Rashid Ali Editor Monthly Faizan e Madinah Karachi
5 M. Khurram Shahzad Editor Monthly Fehm e Din Karachi
6 M. Ilyas Wali Editor Monthly Nida e Hasanain Panjgur
7 Syed Azhar Ali Shah Editor Monthly Qamar Ul Islam Karachi
8 Mujahid Channa Editor Weenjhar Hyderabad
9 Ehsan Elahi Editor Razn Kech Kech
10 Iftikhar Ahmad Al Azhari Editor Bahrul Uloom Mirpurkhas
11 Abdul Wahid Chachar Editor Shariat Rohri
12 Munir Aqeel Ansari Correspondent Daily Jasarat Karachi
13 Mahmood Kharani Editor Qirtas Kharan
14 Inayat Shamsi Correspondent Daily Islam Karachi
15 Abdur Rahman Sani Asst. Editor Fiqh e Islami Karachi
16 Maulana Umar Anwar Asst. Editor Bayyinat Karachi
17 Qari Hamid Mahmood Editor Al Madinah Karachi
18 Aisha Khalid Editor Haya Magazine Karachi
19 Humaira Qureshi Correspondent Weekly Friday Special Karachi
20 Humayun Zafar Section In-charge Daily Jang, Magazine Karachi
21 Muhammad Abdullah Asst. Editor Islah e Muashra Tump (Kech)
22 Abdul Qayyum Linjo Editor Dawat e Islam Tharparkar
23 Aziz Fatima Correspondent Pasban Karachi
24 Saima Kanwal Writer Jamia Binoria Karachi
25 Mehreen Fatima Asst. Editor Tahera Magazine Karachi
26 Farzana Jauhar Asst. Editor Tahera Magazine Karachi
27 Zain Feroze Hassan Correspondent Binoria Media Karachi
28 Zehra Siddiqua Correspondent Jasarat Karachi
29 Hafiz Muhammad Yunus Asst. Editor Al Bayan Karachi
30 Syed Muhammad Abbas Asst. In charge Jafar Tayyar Library Karachi
31 Asma Batool Volunteer Karachi University Karachi
32 Anwar Ul Haq Volunteer Karachi University Karachi

About the ICRC
Established in 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

operates worldwide, helping people affected by conflict and armed
violence, and promoting the laws that protect victims of war. An
independent and neutral organization, its mandate stems essentially
from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The ICRC is based in Geneva,
Switzerland, and employs some 16,000 people in more than 80 countries.
The ICRC is funded mainly by voluntary donations from governments and
the national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.
Building on its core principle of humanity, the ICRC in Pakistan has been
serving the needs of the vulnerable since 1947. From direct relief
operations to an approach that promises sustainability, it works to
improve the lives of people through innovative solutions. It strives to
bring lasting changes in the fields of health, physical rehabilitation,
community-based risk education, restoring family links, promotion of
International Humanitarian Law, and management of the dead in
emergencies.
About IPS
Institute of Policy Studies Islamabad is an autonomous, not-for-profit,

civil society organization, dedicated to promoting policy-oriented
research, dialogue, human and technological development for better
governance. IPS provides a forum for informed discussion and dialogue on
national and international issues. The contributions spanning over forty
years and the overall impact signifies the importance of pragmatic
research on policy issues. The Institute highlights the role of think tanks
in modern democratic polity.

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Two-Day Training Workshop for Editors of Religious Media

16-17 May, 2023 | 25-26 Shawwal, 1444

16-17 May, 2023 | 25-26 Shawwal, 1444

Topic Resource Person Afﬁliation

Sub-editor, Akhuwat, Matiari,

Introduction and Ice-breaking Syed Nadeem Farhat Research Fellow, IPS

Tea Break 10:30-10:40

Topic Resource Person Afﬁliation

Humanitarian Disaster & Fawwad Ahmed Khan Emergency Management

Protocols of Humanitarian Aamir Latif Anadolu Agency

Q/A & Discussion

Lunch & Prayer Break 13:00-14:00

Topic Resource Person Afﬁliation

Q/A & Discussion

Gathering, Sorting, Handling and

Q/A & Discussion

Session IV Study Circle & Lectures

Topic Resource Person Afﬁliation

Study Circle: Humanitarian Syed Nadeem Farhat Research Fellow, IPS

Q/A & Discussion

Law on Protection of Dr. M. Bilal Siddiqui SZABIST, Karachi

Q/A & Discussion

Healing Wounds through Muhammad Tahir Editor, Daily Jurrat, Karachi

Q/A & Discussion

Session V Group Activities

Topic Resource Person Afﬁliation

Personal Diaries on Humanitarian

Lunch & Prayer Break 14:00-15:00

Topic Speaker Afﬁliation

Head of the ICRC

Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani

Key themes of this session are presented below.

Fawwad Ahmed Khan Sherwani

Disasters can be caused by natural, man-made or technological hazards, including

We must remember that humanitarian reporting does not bear commercial

Complex humanitarian disaster is a humanitarian crisis that aggravates to the level

Moderator: Syed Nadeem Farhat

Dr. Muhammad Bilal Siddiqui

Syed Nadeem Farhat

 Magnitude of the earthquake;

 Basic information as listed above;

Mr. Nicolas Lambert

Dr. Ziaullah Rahmani

Sr. Name Designation Magazine City

1 M. Owais Shahid Asst. Editor Monthly Tameer e Afkar Karachi

2 Mudassir Ahsan Asst. Editor Monthly Akhuwat Matiari

3 M. Faisal Shahzad Editor Monthly Khawateen ka Islam Karachi

4 Rashid Ali Editor Monthly Faizan e Madinah Karachi

5 M. Khurram Shahzad Editor Monthly Fehm e Din Karachi

6 M. Ilyas Wali Editor Monthly Nida e Hasanain Panjgur

7 Syed Azhar Ali Shah Editor Monthly Qamar Ul Islam Karachi

8 Mujahid Channa Editor Weenjhar Hyderabad

9 Ehsan Elahi Editor Razn Kech Kech

10 Iftikhar Ahmad Al Azhari Editor Bahrul Uloom Mirpurkhas

11 Abdul Wahid Chachar Editor Shariat Rohri

12 Munir Aqeel Ansari Correspondent Daily Jasarat Karachi

13 Mahmood Kharani Editor Qirtas Kharan

14 Inayat Shamsi Correspondent Daily Islam Karachi

15 Abdur Rahman Sani Asst. Editor Fiqh e Islami Karachi

16 Maulana Umar Anwar Asst. Editor Bayyinat Karachi

17 Qari Hamid Mahmood Editor Al Madinah Karachi

18 Aisha Khalid Editor Haya Magazine Karachi