Parvez Khan and Gul Wahab, two M.Phil scholars of the department of Journalism & Mass Communication (JMC), University of Peshawar have successfully defended their theses the other day, and have been declared qualified for the award of Masters of Philosophy Degree in Media Studies. Both the researchers are teaching at the Kohat University of Sciences and Technology (KUST) and University of Peshawar, respectively, the press release says.  

Mr. Parvez Khan, who is working as a lecturer cum Head of the Department (HOD) at the department of Journalism & Mass Communication (KUST), has worked on "Constructing the Social Reality of Militancy in Pakistan: A Discourse Analysis of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Text on Social Media" . Dr. Faiz Ullah Jan, Chairman JMC, UoP has supervised his research work while Prof Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan, Former Chairman JMC, UoP has supervised his work as an external examiner. His thesis argued that "The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has realized the importance of communication  mediums to win hearts and minds of people. Like Al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban, the TTP is adopting various communication strategies and mediums to propagate its messages and secure public support for its organization. This dissertation examined how TTP as an organization constructs its social reality through online blog and defines the ‘Self’ and the ‘Others’. Analyzing the TTP’s text with context, its narratives and discourse in general was important in understanding militant’s world view"

The study further examined how TTP uses online mediums such as blogs to propagate their  messages and what reality they construct in it? Its an understanding of militants’ world view with real life consequences. Moreover counter narratives can only be developed by having thorough understanding of existing extremist narratives, the thesis concluded.

 Mr. Gul Wahab, a lecturer at the department of JMC, UoP worked on “Problems and Prospects of Female Journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa” The study took a deep insight into various problems of the working women journalists of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).  Simultaneously an effort has also been made to project conspicuous prospects which await this section of society in their own field of activity. Mr. Naeem Gul, Assistant Professor JMC, JMC has supervised his thesis, while Prof Dr. Syed Abul Siraj, Dean Faculty of Communication Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), Islamabad was his external examiner, who declared the research as a genuine area for further research in future, the press release concluded.

Bakht Zaman Yousafzay
Media Officer