On January 15, 2019, Center for Communication Programs Pakistan (Center) and Center for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi jointly organized the third Lab Azad Award distribution ceremony. The ceremony was held at IBA’s city campus in Karachi. Lab Azad Award is constituted together with Palladium Pakistan under the initiative Empowerment, Voice and Accountability Initiative for Better Health and Nutrition funded by UK’s Department for International Development. The Sukh Initiative of Aman HealthCare Services also sponsored the event. The chief guest of the event was the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mr. Fawad Chaudhry.
A total of 200 submissions were received from journalists from across Pakistan of news stories published from July 1, 2017 to September 30, 2018. The aim of this independent annual award is to recognize and promote rights-based reporting in Pakistan, especially on issues that affect the most ignored and marginalized factions of society. Awards were distributed to print and broadcast journalists who developed exceptional stories that brought to the fore some of the most imperative issues afflicting society. An independent jury comprising of veteran journalists assessed the shortlisted submissions following a comprehensive criterion to select the winners. This year submissions were received in three categories – child rights, health rights and women rights.
The chief guest of the event was Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry. In his address, he said that his ministry is planning to table a bill in the National Assembly for the protection of journalists. The new legislation will be similar to the one enacted in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He also spoke at length of the reforms he is trying to bring about at the ministry. “I am honored to be here, and I think this is a brilliant initiative,” he praised the CEJ’s efforts. He announced that the information ministry is trying to work on the development of a media technology school in Pakistan and the development of a Journalist Protection Act, similar to the legislation in KP.
This year. a total of 12 journalist received award under the three themes of Health, Women and Child rights and four categories each. The Award was jointly launched in year 2016 by Center and CEJ.