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In November 1994, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) jointly organised a regional conference for journalists’ unions of South Asia, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The invitation letter (dated 13 November 1994, addressed to Mr Iqbal Yousufi, President of the Pakistan Freelance Journalists Association (PFJA)) confirms his attendance and the travel itinerary for the event.
According to the invitation:
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The event titled “South Asian Media in a Situation of Conflict” was scheduled for 22–25 November 1994 at the Holiday Inn, Colombo.
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Mr Yousufi’s flight from Lahore was scheduled on 20 Nov (PK 313); arrival via Karachi on 21 Nov (UL 182) with arrival in Colombo early on 22 Nov; and return from Colombo on 27 Nov via Karachi (UL 181) arriving Pakistan the same night; and onward from Karachi on 28 Nov (PK 314) to final destination.
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The letter underscores that the invitation and travel arrangements were being handled via the Pakistan Office, Islamabad of FES.
Why the conference was important:
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It brought together journalists’ union leaders and delegates from across the SAARC region. The intent was to foster solidarity, networking and collective advocacy on issues of press freedom, human rights, and regional challenges for journalists.
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The theme “Media in a Situation of Conflict” was timely: South Asia in the early 1990s faced multiple inter-state tensions, internal conflicts, and evolving media landscapes. A gathering of this kind allowed unions to share experiences, build regional campaigns, and strengthen their voice.
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For Pakistani freelancing journalists represented by PFJA, attendance meant having direct access to regional platforms and dialogue with peers from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and other neighbouring media bodies.
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The involvement of FES (a German foundation working with labour and media organisations) and IFJ added international legitimacy and resources, signalling that journalist unions in South Asia were part of a broader global labour/press freedom movement.
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