A meeting over 40 editors of all the three regions of the State – Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh – was held here Saturday after which Jammu and Kashmir Editors Forum, an association of various newspapers, news magazines and news agencies, was constituted for confronting the challenges faced by newspapers and media industry.During the meeting, threadbare discussions were held regarding the issues the media industry in the State was face-to-face with.The editors of news organizations from all the three regions of the State also discussed their issues pertaining to the government.During the meeting, it was highlighted that “the attitude of the government had been discriminatory and that it had not even been following its own policies”, a statement issued to GNS said.The participants also discussed the welfare of the journalist community as a whole and the measures needed to be taken to strengthen the media industry in the State in general and newspaper institutions in particular.After holding elaborate discussions, an ad-hoc body of Jammu Kashmir Editors Forum was constituted with the Editor of The Daily Aftab, Zahoor Hashmi as Convenor and Editor of the Kashmir News Service (KNS) Muhammad Aslam as Co-Convenor.
An 11-member ad hoc body that was constituted, besides the Convenor and Co-Convenor, comprises of Tariq Ali Mir (Belag Sahafat), Rashid Rahil (Asian Mail), Farooq Wani (Brighter Kashmir), Arshid Rasool (Gadyal/JKNS), Zahoor Gulzar (Kashmir Leader magazine/Global Kashmir), Nisar Peerzada (Kashmir Traveller), Chasfida Shah (Kashmir Scan), Richen Angmo (Ladakh Reach Leh) and Tanveer Ahmad Khateeb (Udaan Jammu). It was decided to hold the election for the permanent body within three months.The other representatives of newspapers included Rising Kashmir, Aftab, Kashmir Magazine/KNS, Asian Mail, Brighter Kashmir, Gadyal/JKNS, Indian Times, Kashmir Thunder, Buland Kashmir, Leader Magazine/Global Kashmir, Global Post, Maqsad / KMN, Rehmat, Asian Express, Subha Kashmir, Geo Kashmir, Srinagar Mail, Sangarmal, Kashmir Parcham, Naigabaan, Kashmir Aman, Kashmir Glory, Kashmir Rays, Inside Kashmir, Awazi Khalaq, JK News Point, Kashmir Digest, Magazine Kashmir Scan, Belaag Suhafat, Monthly Kashmir Convenor, The Gypsy, Kashmir Clarion, Kashmir Horizon, Ladakh Reach Leh.Jammu and Kashmir Editors Forum would work for the welfare of the journalist community and take up the issues confronting the media houses, the statement said. (GNS)