Press Club Kashmir (PCK) also known as as Aiwan-e-Sahafat was on Monday inaugurated by its president Muhammad Saleem Pandit at Polo View in Srinagar. Senior journalists and representatives of all media associations were present on the occasion. The Press Club was formally handed over by the Director Information Muneer-ul-Islam on Thursday. The Press Club designated as ‘Aiwane-e-Sahafat’ is first such government-run place for journalists in Kashmir. “It was a long standing demand of all the journalist fraternity. Earlier initiated by stalwart journalists like Syed Malik and Khaja Sonauallah in 1970, later, in late 1970’s the government of time closed it down,” said Muhammad Saleem.
He added that establishment of Kashmir Press Club is a joint and collective initiative taken by Kashmir journalists and present government. “Our effort will be to make it functional as soon as possible. It will be a meeting point for the journalists, intellectuals and businessmen to exchange ideas,” he added. Srinagar deputy commissioner Syed Abid Rasheed Shah and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Danish Ismail were also present on the occasion.