Steve Manuel is a career journalist and a creative writer. He is also the man to come up with the concept of www.journalismpakistan.com.

“Journalists in Pakistan need a collective and easily available forum for their interests, one that is representative of who they are and also takes care of their needs…,” he explains, “and until Journalism Pakistan was created there wasn’t one.”

Steve has worked in various capacities for several leading English dailies in Pakistan as well as in the Persian Gulf in a career spanning over 25 years.

He began his career in the The Muslim, Islamabad, as a junior sub-editor before moving to The Pakistan Times and then The News, Islamabad. In 1991 Steve left for Dubai to join the Khaleej Times, The Gulf’s No.1 daily. He was later employed by Channel 33, Dubai Television, before returning to Pakistan in 2005 as the head of The News and Current Affairs Department of CNBC Pakistan.

In 2006, Steve left mainstream journalism to join the USAID project, Pakistan Initiative for Strategic Development and Competitiveness, and in 2008 became the Media & Communications Manager with the Competitiveness Support Fund in Islamabad.

In 2009, Steve headed a group of journalists from Pakistan to the Innovation Journalism Conference at Stanford University, California, USA.

Making a comeback to mainstream journalism Steve joined the Islamabad Dateline as the Senior Editor but after just three months left for the United States and is currently based in Los Angeles, Ca.

He has organized various seminars and workshops, including one on innovation and capacity-building for journalists in October 2008 in Islamabad.

Steve, 49, has also contributed to various magazines in The Gulf, including the up-market Jumeirah Beach Magazine, Features Plus, Lifestyle, Weekend and Young Times. He also regularly contributed music reviews for EMI, Warner Bros., Sony, BMG etc. Steve has written a novel as well as a series of short stories which are in the process of being published.

He has also directed and produced a number of documentary films, specializing in the development sector.

Steve’s diverse interests include sports – he was a national broad jump champion and a ‘jazbaati’ cricketer. He also indulges in sand painting and is a qualified chef and food critic.

He has traveled extensively abroad and within Pakistan.

“There’s a lot going on in global journalism,” says Steve. “The face of journalism is changing and we in Pakistan have to jump on the bandwagon if we are to get anywhere. That time is now; hence, the creation of Journalism Pakistan. It’s a forum for the journalists by the journalists!!