Data-Driven Journalism for Promoting Harmony and Tolerance

The Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) organized a media training workshop titled “Reporting Rights Violations and Faith-Based Persecution in Pakistan” on December 16, 2025, in Lahore. The workshop brought together journalists and social media content creators to enhance their capacity for ethical, objective, and data-driven reporting on human rights violations and faith-based persecution in Pakistan. The initiative was designed in response to growing challenges faced by media professionals, including misinformation, hate speech, and increasing constraints on journalistic independence.
During the workshop, media experts and human rights practitioners emphasized the importance of reporting incidents of rights violations through multiple perspectives rather than relying on a single narrative, which often compromises objectivity. Participants engaged in interactive discussions that provided a platform for sharing professional experiences and for identifying best practices for balanced and impactful reporting. Hands-on exercises sensitized participants to the identification, documentation, and reporting of incidents of faith-based violations and hate speech, while also equipping them with practical techniques to detect and counter fake news circulating on social media platforms.
Media trainer and journalist Imran Mukhtar focused on practical strategies for identifying fake news, emphasizing the value of ground reporting, cross-checking mechanisms, and developing personalized verification checklists. He highlighted the legal frameworks that pose a serious challenge for journalists while reporting such as the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act. He encouraged journalists to build a niche in fact-based reporting to effectively challenge misinformation and ensure the sustainability of mainstream media journalism. The discussion further traced the transformation of Pakistan’s media landscape from print dominance to broadcast expansion and the rise of digital media. While digital platforms have democratized information flow and influenced mainstream media agendas, they have also amplified misinformation, disinformation, and emotionally charged narratives, which can fuel social tensions and faith-based conflicts.
Renowned anchorperson and political analyst Habib Akram shared insights from his professional journey, highlighting the responsibility of journalists to report societal irregularities. He noted that any action that goes beyond the law and the Constitution falls within the domain of journalistic scrutiny and stressed that maintaining credibility and ethical standards is crucial, particularly during challenging times for journalism in Pakistan.
During the group activity, participants engaged in an in-depth brainstorming session focused on promoting tolerance and improving the reporting of rights violations against minority communities. The discussions encouraged participants to critically examine existing reporting practices and identify gaps in coverage. During the subsequent presentations, each group shared its recommendations for fact-based and ethical reporting, emphasizing the use of verified data and multiple perspectives to safeguard and amplify the voices of marginalized groups in Pakistan.
PIPS President Muhammad Amir Rana underscored the importance of learning from regional experiences, citing the cases of Bangladesh and Nepal, where alternative and mainstream media have played a transformative role. He emphasized the need for journalists to use data in human rights reporting and reiterated that covering rights violations from multiple perspectives is essential to uphold objectivity and credibility in journalism.