KATHMANDU: Speaker Onsari Gharti has said that free press has faced obstacles under different pretexts in Nepal .

Inaugurating a two-day-long photo exhibition programme-'Journalists and Security'- on Friday  in the Capital city, she said that media should be independent as it is the base of democracy.

Speaker Gharti also praised the role performed by the media for the success of people's movement and establishment of republic in the country.

Saying that safety of journalists was not satisfactory, Gharti added that journalism is a profession with social responsibility.

Gharti inaugurated the programme by taking a picture of the photo journalists.

On the occasion, Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communications Mahendra Man Gurung said that the risks faced by photo journalists should be gradually decreased.

Director General of Department of Information Bir Bahadur Rai, Chairman of Federation of Nepali Journalists Mahendra Bista and, senior photo journalists Gopal Chitrakar and Chandra Shekhar Karki also spoke in the programme.

A total of 45 photos have been kept in the exhibition being organised at Arts Council, Babarmahal.