The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has released the following extracts from the address of welcome of APNS President Arif Nizami, delivered at the opening session of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Society, held at Islamabad on December 29.
Arif Nizami said the APNS is the sole representative organisation of the country's newspaper and periodical publishers, and was celebrating its Golden Jubilee.
He noted that the survival of any national institution for 50 years was itself an honour, but even more important, this institution, without fail, held elections and after holding elections each year, the outgoing elected body took its leave.
Therefore, he said, it could be claimed that the APNS had implemented true and genuine democracy in its organisation, which all were trying to achieve at the national level.
He said the APNS had not become such a strong institution in a single day, and it took half a century to become an institution.
This was the result of sincere efforts of its founders and office-bearers in this time. He also appreciated the role of Hameed Haroon and Mir Shakilur Rehman in further developing and strengthening the organisation.
The APNS chief said the freedom, now enjoyed by the Press had not been presented to it by any government on a platter, but was a result of the protracted and continuos struggle of the country's journalists, editors and publishers, adding the APNS and the CPNE remained the vanguard of the struggle for freedom of press against the draconian Press laws and the dictatorial attitude of past governments.
Arif Nizami praised the Musharraf government for not imposing any restrictions on the Press, but tolerating criticism by the Press. However, he said there is still a long way to go for a truly free Press in the country.
He stressed that the Press was still facing numerous problems such as the threat of withholding advertisements and harassment of editors, publishers and journalists by the law-enforcement agencies, pointing out that the Press Council of Pakistan Ordinance-2002 had not yet been implemented.
He also noted the Freedom to Information Act-2002 contains such provisions, which make access to information practically impossible, saying the APNS and the CPNE had made representations to the Information Ministry and the Law Ministry on their serious reservations on the law, but unfortunately, these reservations have not yet been accommodated in the law.
Arif Nizami suggested that the government immediately convene a meeting of the APNS, the CPNE and the Information Ministry to discuss the formation of the Press Council and amendments to the Freedom to Information Act.
He appreciated the government's agreeing to cross-media ownership of electronic media, but unfortunately, the agreement has not yet been implemented.
He noted the APNS had expressed strong reservations on the centralised advertisement distribution policy, as it was aimed at controlling publications, it is still being used as a lever to curb Press freedoms. He requested that such a retrogressive policy should be done away with.
The APNS president highlighted the role of the regional Press in shaping society on modern lines as well as in disseminating news and information among the populace. He stressed that while allocating government advertisements, efforts should be made to promote regional publications.
President General Pervez Musharraf, replying to the address of welcome by Arif Nizami, advised the Information Ministry to sit with the APNS and the CPNE, and resolve matters relating to the Press laws, as pointed out by the president APNS.
He congratulated the APNS for celebrating its 50th anniversary, and hoped that the organisation will further flourish.
President Musharraf gave away the following Golden Jubilee Awards to advertising agencies on their best business performance during the last 50 years:
S.H. Hashmi (Orient Advertising), Lifetime Achievement Award; Gulzar Ali (Adarts Karachi), Oldest Agency Award
BUSINESS PERFORMANCE AWARDS: Asif Salahuddin (Adgroup), Tahir A. Khan (Interflow), Tanvir Ahmad (Maxim), Inam Akbar (Midas), H.N. Effendi (Paragon), Anwar Ramal (JWT Asiatic), Jamal Mir (Prestige), Mehmood Hashmi (Orient), Colonel Aizazul Waheed (MPL), Ms Sara Syed (IAL).-PR
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