The National Press Club Islamabad, together with Google and Tech Valley Pakistan, organised a certified training session focused on digital journalism, information verification and AI-powered reporting tools to strengthen newsroom capabilities across the capital.
Tech Valley CEO Umar Farooq underlined the need to train journalists in emerging technology so they can report faster and more accurately. Project Manager Sameen Aziz led hands-on demonstrations of Google AI resources including Gemini, NotebookLM, Pinpoint and Google Trends, alongside practical verification tools that help reporters validate information in real time.
Afzal Butt, President of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, described such workshops as essential for upgrading reporters’ skills, while National Press Club President Azhar Jatoi reiterated the club’s commitment to building professional capacity among members. Secretary Nayyar Ali and RIUJ President Tariq Ali Work encouraged journalists to adopt new technologies to enhance reporting standards and career development.
Senior journalist Haji Nawaz Raza pointed to the clear shift from traditional methods to digital tools and stressed continuous learning as the industry evolves. NPC Senior Vice President Ehtisham-ul-Haq observed that AI is becoming a necessity for modern journalism and will play a vital role in shaping newsrooms of the future.
The closing ceremony saw distribution of Google certificates by Parliamentary Secretary for Cultural Heritage Farah Naz Akbar, Ambassador of Türkiye to Pakistan Dr. Irfan Neziroğlu, Tech Valley CEO Umar Farooq, PFUJ President Afzal Butt, NPC President Azhar Jatoi and Secretary Nayyar Ali, recognising participants who completed the certified training.
The workshop drew senior office-bearers from NPC and RIUJ along with a large number of journalists from across Islamabad who described the session as highly beneficial. Participants welcomed the practical exposure to Google AI tools and verification techniques and expressed a strong desire for more initiatives that advance digital journalism in Pakistan.
