SAMNAHI (Kashmir English): The newly elected officials of Kashmir Press Club Samahni took their oath today in a formal ceremony attended by political, social, and journalistic figures, where Adviser to the Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir(AJK), Colonel (Retd) Maroof Khan, highlighted the role of journalism and paid tribute to a martyred journalist.
The newly elected officials of the Kashmir Press Club (Registered) Samahni have taken their oath of office in a formal ceremony. The oath was administered by Colonel (Retd) Maroof Khan, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir. Among those sworn in were President Raja Fayaz Ahmed, General Secretary Mehboob Chaudhry, and other officials.
The event was attended by former assembly candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Razaq, District Council members Chaudhry Waheed Akram Advocate, Naeem Aslam, Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem, Asghar Naharvi, and Farooq Alam. Also present were Union Council Chairmen Abdul Rehman Sadhu, Chaudhry Muhammad Abbas, Raja Hissam Jahangir Advocate, Shoaib Karamat, as well as various political and social figures. Several well-known reporters from the Mirpur Division attended the event as well.
In his remarks, Colonel (Retd) Maroof Khan, the adviser to the prime minister of Azad Kashmir, thanked the newly elected authorities and emphasised the vital role that media plays in society. He stressed that journalism is a very powerful and accountable profession that involves more than just criticising the government. He exhorted the media to keep up their support of the Kashmir freedom movement and to protect intellectual distinctions.
Colonel (Retd) Maroof Khan further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, Azad Kashmir is witnessing remarkable development. He particularly praised the resumption of construction work on the Rathua Hariyam Bridge, calling it a significant achievement of the Prime Minister’s administration.
During the ceremony, a tribute was also paid to the late journalist and columnist Chaudhry Mazhar Hussain Shaheed, who was martyred by Indian shelling in the Samahni Valley. Attendees recalled his journalism accomplishments and his involvement in drawing attention to local problems.
As the event came to an end, officials and journalists reaffirmed their commitment to upholding responsible media ideals and supporting Azad Kashmir’s stability and advancement.
