Promoting Unity and Leadership for Social Empowerment (PULSE), in collaboration with the Global Neighbourhood for Media Innovation (GNMI), TAAR Media, and Commissioner Karachi Division, conducted a specialized training session aimed at strengthening crisis communication and negotiation skills among senior civil servants.
The high-level workshop, Media Handling in the Context of Negotiation, brought together 41 public officials—including Additional, Deputy, and Assistant Commissioners from all seven districts of Karachi—for two intensive half-day sessions held on June 19, 2025, at the Deputy Commissioner South Karachi Complex. The training focused on preparing officers to manage high-stakes public communication during times of crisis, misinformation, and civic emergencies.
The workshop was a direct follow-up to PULSE and GNMI’s earlier joint training—Effective Media Handling and Strategic Communication for Public Officials—held in April 2025. That session highlighted the need for more action-oriented learning models to enhance communication confidence among civil servants.
Najia Ashar, Co-founder of PULSE led the primary sessions of the workshop. Drawing on her extensive experience in journalism and media training, she emphasized the urgent need for public officials to own and shape the narrative before it is hijacked by misinformation.
“In the age of instant news, if public officials don’t control the narrative, misinformation will,” she remarked. Her session included hands-on exercises on drafting press releases, talking points, and social media updates using AI-powered tools, with a strong focus on clarity, tone, ethical communication, and public trust.
Syed Masood Raza, Co-Trainer, senior journalist, and General Secretary of GNMI, conducted a case-based session simulating high-pressure scenarios, including how to respond to public unrest. His session deconstructed real-world government responses, highlighting both missteps and best practices, and opened the floor to officers who shared their own field experiences of conflict de-escalation and negotiation.
“Without crisis communication, peaceful conflict resolution becomes nearly impossible,” said Syed Mehdi Shah, Additional Commissioner, Karachi Division, emphasizing the urgency of mastering these skills in today’s volatile environment.
This initiative reflects PULSE’s continued commitment to promoting globally informed leadership through media literacy and communication training. By equipping public officials with critical crisis response and negotiation skills, PULSE advances its mission to strengthen institutions, promote accountable governance, and support democratic values through the power of ethical, responsive, and strategic communication—wherever the need arises.
