London, (Shahzad Ali) __ Various community leaders and dignitaries emphasised the pivotal role of free and responsible journalism in bolstering democratic values and addressing community concerns during the oath-taking ceremony of the Pakistan Press Club UK Luton Branch. Lord Qurban Hussain administered the oath to the newly elected office bearers, highlighting the commitment to uphold journalistic integrity.

Speakers at the event underscored journalists’ need to wield their influence positively, advocating for justice and equality within society. The Pakistan Press Club UK was commended for its unwavering support of journalists’ rights and its dedication to community service, with assurances that the organisation will continue its impactful work in the future.

The ceremony also included a heartfelt tribute to the late Mubeen Chaudhry, the founding president of the Press Club. In recognition of his contributions to journalism, the club’s central leadership presented an honorary shield to his family. Additionally, appreciation shields were awarded to several dedicated members, including Central President Raja Musarat Iqbal, Senior Vice President Arshad Rachyal, Secretary General Sajid Yousaf, former UK President Shiraz Khan, former Luton President Raja Asrar Ahmed Khan and Chairman of Chinar Media Group Muhammad Amjad Chaudhry, among others.

The newly appointed officials of the Luton Branch are President Ehtisham-ul-Haq Qureshi, Senior Vice President Nawaz Majeed, Vice Presidents Khalid Mahmood Jonvi and Munsif Chaudhry, Joint Secretary Yasir Mughal, Secretary of Information and Publications Faheem Azeem, Finance Secretary Jamil Minhas, and Executive Committee Members Aqdas Mughal and Javed Siddiqui.

The event commenced with a recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Sufi Raja Ajaib, followed by a soulful naat (poetic tribute to the Prophet ﷺ) by Qazi Tanzeel-ur-Rehman. Javed Siddiqui also delighted the audience by presenting his latest poetry in the Pahari language, which received an enthusiastic response.

A diverse group of community leaders and figures attended the ceremony, including educationalist and a former Mayor of Luton Councillor Yaqoob Hanif, Muhammad Aslam Hijazi of Read Foundation, Allama Qazi Abdul Aziz Chishti MBE, Dr. Yaseen Rehman, Dr. Saeed Safdar, Malik Masood Rana, Khalid Rasheed Chaudhry, Luqman Zahid Chaudhry, Irfan Arif Chaudhry, Mubashir Tufail Chaudhry, Zafar Qureshi, Mehrban Malik, Chaudhry Amir Taj, Raja Shahid Bashir, Arshad Tazim Sarwar, Raja Bilal, Raja Arbab Sikandar, Faisal Hussain, Noman Khan, Imran Raja, Saqib Rabbani Sadiq Rathore, former Luton Mayors Muhammad Riaz Butt, Raja Waheed Akbar and Tahir Mahmood Malik. Councillors Adrees Lateef, Anwar Malik and Zahoor Ahmed, alongside many others, are fostering a spirit of unity and collaboration for the advancement of journalism and community welfare.