BARAMULLA, AUGUST 16 :
The Baramulla Working Journalists Association (BWJA) has announced a unanimous boycott of events, press releases, official handouts, videos and other publicity material issued or circulated through the District Information & Public Relations (DIPR), Baramulla, expressing serious concern over the continued neglect of journalists and the absence of dignified and professional arrangements for the media at official functions.
An important meeting of the Association was held at Dak Bungalow, Baramulla, under the chairmanship of Haji Karamat Qayoom. BWJA President Gulzar Ahmad Zargar, General Secretary Umar Rashid, along with senior members and journalists, participated in the meeting and discussed at length the persistent difficulties being faced by working journalists during official programmes.
The members expressed deep disappointment over the arrangements made for media persons during the 80th Independence Day celebrations held at Prof. Showkat Ali Stadium, Baramulla. Despite the presence of almost the entire local media fraternity in their professional capacity, journalists were not provided a dedicated press gallery, designated media enclosure or adequate separate seating arrangement.
As a result, journalists were forced to remain standing in the scorching heat for the duration of the programme while performing their professional responsibilities.
The Association termed the situation unacceptable and disrespectful to the professional status of journalists, particularly on an occasion as significant as Independence Day, when the media plays a crucial role in documenting and disseminating the proceedings to the public.
BWJA also strongly objected to the failure to maintain a clear distinction between accredited and professional journalists and individuals engaged in vlogging, social-media content creation or other non-traditional media activities. The Association maintained that professional media persons attending official functions in the discharge of their duties must be provided proper identification, access and seating arrangements commensurate with their responsibilities.
Repeated Neglect Cannot Be Ignored
The Association made it clear that the Independence Day incident was not an isolated occurrence. According to the members, journalists have repeatedly faced inadequate seating, poor access, lack of designated media spaces and other avoidable inconveniences during official programmes in the district.
BWJA said that despite repeated expectations of improvement, the situation has remained largely unchanged, compelling the Association to take a firm collective position.
Unanimous Boycott Decision
After detailed deliberations, BWJA unanimously resolved that, until meaningful corrective measures are taken, all members of the Association shall boycott:
- Events and programmes organised, coordinated or facilitated by DIPR, Baramulla;
- DIPR press releases, official handouts and media notes;
- Videos and other media content provided or circulated by DIPR;
- Routine publicity and promotional material circulated through DIPR in connection with official events.
Accordingly, BWJA members have been directed not to attend, cover, publish, broadcast, reproduce or circulate such material under the Association’s decision until its concerns are satisfactorily addressed.
The Association emphasised that the boycott is a collective institutional decision intended to safeguard the dignity, professional recognition and working conditions of journalists and is not directed against any particular government department, officer or public institution.
BWJA further urged the concerned authorities to treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves and establish proper, clearly demarcated and adequately managed media arrangements at all official functions, including dedicated press galleries, seating facilities, unhindered professional access and appropriate recognition of accredited journalists.
The Association reiterated that journalists are not merely spectators at official events but professional stakeholders entrusted with the responsibility of informing the public and documenting matters of public importance. Respect for the media, it said, must therefore be reflected not only in official statements but also in the practical arrangements made for journalists on the ground.
BWJA hopes that the concerned authorities will initiate immediate corrective measures and create an institutional mechanism to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.