Mehdi Hasan (journalist)
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Dr Mehdi Hasan is the voice chairperson (punjab) of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and the Dean of Schoolf of Media & Communication at Punjab University , is one of Pakistan’s premier communication experts with a specialisation in political analysis. Most recently he has been analysing the impact of the 3 November Emergency and its repercussions on the political situation as a panellist on current affairs programs on all major networks. He has just recorded a ten-part special on the Constitutional Crisis in Pakistan for PTV.
One of the few serious media historians of the country, Dr. Mehdi is a regular commentator and panellist for news channels and radio stations where he brings his academic research into social context. His book ‘The Political History of Pakistan’ is a widely-used source of reference by journalists and producers.
A long-time human rights activist and member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s Governing Council, Dr. Mehdi Hasan has written many papers and participated in innumerable seminars. In 2006 the South Asian Human Rights Commission sent him to Bangladesh to prepare a report on ‘Problems of Ethnic and Religious Minorities of Bangladesh’ and toured the country extensively to meet with representatives of different minority groups as part of this fact-finding mission.
He holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication, Punjab University, ‘Role of Press in Formation in Public Opinion 1857-1947’ , a M.A. in Journalism, Punjab University, and was a Fulbright Scholar (1990) at University of Colorado at Boulder, where heconducted research on ‘Coverage of Third World Countries in the American Mass Media’; he has papers published in America and Pakistan
He taught at Punjab University for 31 years, and has been Visiting faculty at Kinnaird College, UET, Civil Services Academy, NIIPA and various other academic institutions across the country
As a journalist, he was sub-editor, reporter and news bureau chief at Pakistan Press International (PPI) between 1961-67; elected office-bearer of Pakistan Federation of Union of Journalists (PFUJ) five times during this period. He has also been a news commentator and analyst for television since 1964 and for radio since 1962, including for Voice of America, BBC, Radio Germany, Reuters and APA, and a contributor for all major newspapers in Pakistan; columnist at English daily The News and Urdu daily Waqt
