The APNS suggested that to resolve the issue of nonpayment of current dues, a revolving fund be established at the Information Ministry for payment to newspapers on behalf of sponsoring departments
ISLAMABAD, AUG 21 /DNA/ – The Federal Secretary Information, Ambreen Jan assured the APNS Executive Committee that the long pending Govt advertisement rates will be increased as soon.
Ms Ambreen Jan Secretary Information and PIO, Mr. Mobasher Hasan attended the meeting of Executive Committee of the APNS held at Islamabad presided over by its President Ms. Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani. APNS Secretary General Sarmad Ali apprised the Secretary Information about the problems being faced by the newspaper industry due to non implementation of the decision of the Prime Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif announced at the end of his first tenure to increase govt advertisement rates. He highlighted the issues faced by the print media related to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting including constant decline in the quantum of government advertisements, non payment of current and old outstanding dues, streamlining of ABC, renewal of newspapers’ registration and functioning of the Press Registrar office. The APNS suggested that to resolve the issue of non payment of current dues, a revolving fund be established at the Information Ministry for payment to newspapers on behalf of sponsoring departments. The members of the executive committee apprised the Secretary Information about the problems faced by them including non implementation of regional quota, problems in transfer of declarations after demise of the publisher and establishment of PID regional office at Bahawalpur.
The Secretary Information assured the Executive Committee that the Ministry of Information has moved a summary for rate increase to the Finance Ministry which would be processed shortly. She stated that a meeting of APNS PID joint committee will be called soon to sort out issues relating to ABC, renewal of registration and related issues.
Earlier the Executive Committee of APNS in its meeting approved reports of Regional Press Committee, Federal Capital Committee and Metro B publications Committee. The members approved provisional accreditation to M/s Vibrant Communication, Islamabad and M/s Resonance Digital (Pvt.) Lt, Karachi.
Later the Executive Committee hosted a dinner to welcome Ms. Ambreen Jan as new secretary information and to bid farewell to Ms Shahera Shahid, outgoing Secretary information. The dinner was attended by dignitaries including former PIO Rao Tehseen Ali Khan, former Information Secretaries Mr. Ashfaq Gondal and Mr. Shafqat Jalil and members of the Executive Committee.
Following attended the meeting:
Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani (President), Sarmad Ali (Secretary General), S.M. Munir Jillani (Joint Secretary), Shahab Zubeir (Finance Secretary), Mohsin Seyal (Daily Aftab), Mohsin Bilal (Daily Ausaf) Waseem Ahmed (Daily Awam Quetta), Humayun Tariq (Daily Business Report), Ansar Mahmood Bhatti (Monthly Centerline), Javed Mehr Shamsi (Daily Kaleem), Syed Ayaz Badshah (Daily Mashriq Peshawar), Shakir Ali (Daily Mashriq Quetta), Zahida Abbasi (Daily Nau Sijj), Bilal Mahmood (Daily Nawa-i-Waqt), Sardar Khan Niazi (Monthly Naya Rukh), Muhammad Farooq (Daily Pakistan Lahore), Faisal Zahid Malik (Daily Pakistan Observer), Humayun Gulzar (Daily Sayadat), Imran Athar (Daily Tijarat) and Syed Haroon Shah (Daily Wahdat)
Following attended the meeting as special observer:
Mumtaz Ali Phulpoto (Daily Awami Parchar), Rao Noman Ahmed (Daily Ebadat), Zahore Dhareja (Daily Jhok), and Tariq Javed (Daily Karnama)
