National Accountability Bureau and Pakistan Peace Collective Project Recognized for Best Public Interest Communication Campaigns with the “TRUST GOLD MEDAL”

NAB and PPC Recognized for Best Public Interest Communication Campaigns with the TRUST GOLD MEDAL

The TRUST GOLD MEDAL - 2015

The Media Development Trust, a joint initiative of Mishal Pakistan and AGAHI organized "THE TRUST GOLD MEDAL" recognition ceremony at a local Hotel in Islamabad. Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information and Broadcasting was the chief guest at the occasion.

The purpose of "THE TRUST GOLD MEDAL" recognition ceremony was to recognize and appreciate the best public interest communication campaigns during 2014 in Pakistan. The winners were Mr. Nawazish Ali Khan Asim, Director Media of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for Anti-Corruption Campaign and Ms. Bushra Taskeen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pakistan Peace Collective Project (PPC) for developing Media Campaign on “Haq Haqdar Tak”, to raise awareness among the people of Pakistan about safer charity giving practices, lest our donations end up in the hands of banned organizations. Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Minister for Information and Broadcasting presented the "THE TRUST GOLD MEDAL" to Mr. Nawazish Ali Khan Asim, Director Media of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for Anti-Corruption Campaign and Ms. Bushra Taskin, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pakistan Peace Collective Project (PPC) for developing Media Campaign titled “Haq Haqdar Tak” for the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage.

While speaking at the ceremony, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said Media is an important platform that serves the purpose of education and informing public opinion. NAB has adopted a proactive approach to highlight its performance, as corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on Pakistani Society. He said NAB under the chairmanship of Mr. Qamar Zaman Chaudhry, Chairman NAB has been assigned the responsibility to eradicate corruption and corrupt practices from Pakistan. NAB devised a three-pronged strategy of Awareness, Prevention and Enforcement to curb corruption and corrupt practices through print and electronic media throughout the country. The independent Watchdogs like Transparency International (TI) and PILDAT have also appreciated NAB’s performance and achievements as the best ever position in Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in the history of Pakistan from 175 to 126.

The Minister also appreciated the work of Pakistan Peace Collective (PPC) a project of the Government of Pakistan, for their work, which has helped to increase public support and bolstered resilience against extremism and violence in Pakistan. PPC is working closely with Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage, relevant government and international organizations on developing media products and impart training to help eliminate extremism and violence from the society and promote peace and harmony. PPC also documents the impact of terrorism on the lives of ordinary citizens by highlighting the indiscriminate nature of violence in the society. PPC had developed media products on CT/CVE based counter narrative titled “Haq, Haqdaar Tak” and “PurAzm Pakistan”, which were successfully launched by the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting & National Heritage through media campaigns at national level.

On the occasion, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that strategic communication and media engagement has had significant impact, which continues to show results. He further added, "We believe in empowering communities through information and knowledge so they are active participants in public sector policy dialogues".

He said that the joint initiative of AGAHI and Mishal through the Media Development Trust to recognize and acknowledge the best public interest communication campaigns is a milestone for Pakistan. This step will encourage other public sector institutions to launch awareness campaign in order to educate and empower the citizens with the knowledge about different facilities/functions and steps undertaken for a knowledge-based economy. He appreciated the efforts of Mishal Pakistan and AGAHI in close collaboration with the Media Development Trust (MDT), which had also successfully created the AGAHI Awards. He said the TRUST GOLD MEDAL recognition has been given to individuals and organizations to create value for citizens by developing best communication strategies for public information and knowledge on key issues and challenges faced by Pakistan.

Mr. Amir Jahangir, Chief Executive Officer of Mishal Pakistan and co-founder of the TRUST GOLD MEDAL, while sharing his views at the occasion said, “we must acknowledge and appreciate institutions, which are creating information and communication mechanisms and campaigns, which empowers citizens to make informed decision”. He further said, “in an attention economy information is a scarce resource and only institutions creating clear and precise messaging will be able to make an impact, rest of the organizations will be part of the noise in the system”.

Trust is a fundamental foundation in a society. Trust enriches and strengthens the relationships people can have with other people, institutes and government while the lack of trust greatly reduces and limits their interactions. To gain and understand this trust, communication plays a very important role. The level of communication institutes and government have with its people provides support and base for a progressive nation.

The TRUST GOLD MEDAL 2015 is conferred to professionals, institutions, voluntary organizations, civil society institutions and individuals in urban as well as rural areas in Pakistan involved in activities and programmes inter alia aimed at ‘Fostering Strategic Communication in Public Interest’ The Trust Gold Medal are given in recognition of excellence, result-oriented performance and commendable achievements.