Reaffirming the party’s unwavering belief in freedom of the press, Bukhari stressed that a credible and impartial media is indispensable for national unity and for strengthening democratic values. He underlined that journalistic ethics demand reporting rooted in verified facts, adding that the spread of unverified information violates the core principles of the profession.
Recalling the PPP’s legacy, Bukhari noted that Shaheed Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto approved the Wage Board Award for journalists, while Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto abolished the draconian laws of the dictatorial era that curbed freedom of expression. He said the Pakistan Peoples Party has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the press in the struggle for media freedom.
Paying tribute to journalists who endured imprisonment and hardship during dark periods of censorship, Bukhari described them as “democratic heroes” who fought alongside political forces against dictatorship.