JournalismPakistan.com | Published April 19, 2021
Join our WhatsApp channel
KARACHI–The Center for Excellence in Journalism at IBA (CEJ-IBA) and International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) have signed a partnership to work together to build fact-checking skills of journalists and newsrooms in Pakistan. The five-month project will include self-directed courses and live training.
The move is aimed at building the capacity of Pakistan’s newsrooms to verify and fact-check information before it is published, helping raise reporting standards at a time when the fake-news phenomenon is becoming a massive problem not just for policymakers, but also the general public.
Kamal Siddiqi, Director of the CEJ-IBA (pictured) said on the occasion: “We are very excited on partnering with the IFCN at Poynter which is respected the world over. It will help raise standards of journalism by inculcating a culture of news verification at a time when fake news is becoming a global problem.”
Baybars Örsek, Director of IFCN in his message said: “Our objective is to help the growing fact-checking community in Pakistan with essential know-how on building a fact-checking unit.”
“It will provide the public with accurate and reliable information amid this global pandemic and the anticipated debates around vaccination efforts. We have seen that fact-checkers have been instrumental in helping consumers and disseminators of information during times of uncertainty.”
The IFCN is a unit of the Poynter Institute dedicated to bringing together fact-checkers worldwide. The IFCN was launched in September 2015 to support a booming crop of fact-checking initiatives by promoting best practices and exchanges in this field.
The IFCN monitors trends, formats, and policymaking about fact-checking worldwide. It helps surface common positions among the world’s fact-checkers and promotes basic standards through the fact-checkers’ code of principles—a series of commitments organizations abide by to promote excellence in fact-checking—and projects to track the impact of fact-checking. The organization also funds annual fellowships, a Fact Forward Fund, a Fact-Checking Innovation Initiative, and a crowdfunding match program. Moreover, it convenes fact-checkers in a yearly conference (Global Fact) and promotes collaborative efforts in international fact-checking, along with providing training in-person and online.
The CEJ is an initiative for the professional development, training, and networking of Pakistani journalists and media professionals. It is a collaboration between the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), IBA, and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
Based at IBA’s City Campus in Karachi, the CEJ offers online and in-person training modules for journalists and media professionals from all parts of Pakistan. The faculty and eminent local journalists conduct hands-on, skills-based courses geared towards meeting the needs of Pakistani newsrooms.
The center is closely linked with the Pakistani news media industry and works under an advisory board comprising Pakistan's most prominent and experienced editors and media professionals. News directors and editors from newsrooms across Pakistan assign staff to each module at the CEJ. Independent journalists and media professionals are also invited to participate.
The CEJ actively hosts talks and panel discussions that are free and open to the journalism community. The center's permanent location is on the fourth floor in the new Aman Tower at IBA City Campus. In addition to classroom and office space, the CEJ area includes a working broadcast studio and state-of-the-art multimedia lab and editing suites for the participants. The lab offers journalists a chance to learn practical skills in a real newsroom environment where they have access to the latest technologies and resources. The CEJ is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Department of State.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.