To focus problems of district correspondents and role of media as an agent of social change, Sungi Development Foundation in collaboration with Abbottabad Press Club organized a media workshop of district correspondents of Hazara Division at Abbottabad from July 29 to 30, 1999. About 40 journalists from all over the Hazara Division gathered there, while resource persons from around the country also participated in the workshop. 

Journalists who cover the disadvantaged sections of society and live in the rural areas need more attention than urban centres because of their incapacity to cope with daily problems both of professional and financial nature. As they do not get any regular salary from the newspapers they work for, it creates serious problems for them. Owners and editors of every newspaper, periodical or of any regional press, too, agree that 'not enough is being done' for district correspondents. 
On the other hand, they can also serve to identify public service ineffectiveness, abuses of power or wrongdoing on the part of local influential, political leaders, ministers or even civil servants, and thus directly contribute towards a higher level of accountability.

Their role in translating the complex issues of macro-level public reforms, economic transformation, budgetary details and development for common readers can not also be over emphasised.

Kausar Naqvi of Sungi Foundation elaborated upon the role of local corespondents vis-a-vis coverage of local issues in the national press.  Despite the difficult situation being faced by local corespondents in the reporting of the events, they perform their duties. 

Omar Asghar Khan while addressing the workshop said that people involved in the process of social development need information so that an organized movement could be launched for attaining the rights of people.

Fouzia Shahid, General Secretary of Pakistan Federation Union of Journalists (PFUJ), while addressing the meeting said one of the basic objective of their union was to work for professional development of the journalists. But various media organizations have failed to cater to the training needs of the journalists. 

Mohammad Tanveer of JRC said that newspaper organizations undermine the role of local corespondents and they are not provided with training facilities to enhance their professional skills. He also told JRC is about to launch a comprehensive programme for the professional development of district corespondents.

He further said that advocacy plans of NGOs do not involve media properly. It either results in the failure of such campaigns or reduces their effectiveness. NGOs should go into institutional arrangements with media organizations rather than using individual contacts to increase the efficacy of their advocacy plans, he added.
Mazhar Arif also spoke on the occasion.