ISLAMABAD(National Times)- The Jinnah Convention Centre (JCC) on Saturday became a hub of foreign and local media as journalists gathered to cover the historic US-Iran talks.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also holds the portfolio of foreign minister, said in a statement that more than 50 foreign journalists had come to Pakistan to cover the event. He said Pakistan had offered the facility of visa-on-arrival to foreign journalists.
Earlier, foreign and local media persons were assembled at a local hotel, from where they were taken to the JCC in special buses arranged by the Information Ministry.
The convention centre was turned into a large media centre where special booths were set up for private TV channels from which they conducted their talk shows.
However, they had no direct access to the venue where the historic talks between the US and Iran were under way.
Local media appeared to be more constrained in obtaining information about the talks and relied on updates received by American and Iranian journalists from their respective camps.
A number of former Pakistani diplomats and international relations experts were also present, seen participating in television talk shows.
Some journalists complained about weak internet service provided by the Information Ministry. Internet service on their cell phones was also reported to be weak.
Later, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced that comprehensive facilities were being ensured at the Jinnah Convention Centre for seamless coverage of the historic Islamabad peace talks.
The minister, while talking to the media, said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had already announced that journalists from the United States and Iran arriving in Islamabad for coverage of the peace talks would be granted visa-on-arrival.
More than 50 journalists from around the world have arrived in Islamabad, the minister said, adding that journalists from China, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, South Korea and other countries had already submitted visa applications to cover the significant event.
Welcoming foreign journalists to Islamabad, he said the government’s primary goal was to provide all necessary facilities under one roof so that journalists could perform their duties with maximum efficiency.
The media centre established at the Jinnah Convention Centre has been equipped with high-speed internet connectivity, modern computing workstations and advanced printing facilities to ensure that technical barriers do not hinder global reporting, he noted.
The minister said the Red Zone is located in close proximity to the Jinnah Convention Centre, providing easy access to key event venues for comprehensive coverage of the peace talks.
