KARACHI: The APNS requested the Minister for Information, Murtaza Solangi to facilitate the process of increase in the government advertisement rates of newspapers which is long pending.
Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, APNS apprised the Information Minister who held a meeting with the APNS Executive Committee at a dinner that the outgoing government of Shahbaz Sharif had announced an increase of 35 percent in the advertisement rates but could not be notified due to early dissolution of the government.
He also stated that the summary of the Ministry of Information is pending at Cabinet Division for approval by the Cabinet and requested the Minister to place the summary at the next meeting of the Federal Cabinet. The Minister explained in detail on the vision of the caretaker government and assured that the government would safeguard the interests of the media and protect the freedom of press in the country. He assured that the Ministry of Information will expedite the process of notification of rate increase at the earliest.
Earlier, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the APNS was held on September 9 at Islamabad chaired by the President, APNS, Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani.
The members of the Executive Committee expressed their grave concern that despite various assurances by the outgoing governments, the dues have not yet been paid against the advertisements released to print media. The members noted that in Punjab and Sindh, the governments have not paid the dues related to SPL advertisements and non-budgeted advertisements respectively, which has caused serious liquidity crisis for newspapers to meet their expenses.
The members from KP province pointed out that for last 2 years, the payment of print media accumulated to one billion, has not been made by the Department of Public Relations, despite the reconciliation of dues. The Executive Committee decided that a delegation of APNS headed by the President, APNS will meet the concerned governments for release of payment without delay.
The Executive Committee also noted that due to ban on development activities by the Election Commission, the quantum of advertisements to newspapers has drastically affected, It was also decided that the Election Commission be requested to lift the ban on developmental advertisements.
The Executive Committee adopted the report of Advertising Committee on the application of advertising agencies and granted provisional accreditation to M/s. Brain Tree Advertising, Lahore, M/s. Mesh Media (Pvt.) Ltd., Lahore and M/s. Mindread Advertising (Pvt.) Ltd., Karachi.
The Executive Committee also granted the appeal of Daily Shamal, Karachi and Monthly Sathee, Karachi for restoration of membership. The Executive Committee approved the restructuring of M/s. Kenad (Pvt.) Ltd.
The following attended the meeting: Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, President, Imtinan Shahid, Sr. Vice President, Sarmad Ali, Secretary General, S.M. Munir Jilani, Joint Secretary, Syed Sajjad Bokhani (Daily Abtak), Mohsin Seyal (Daily Aftab), Waseem Ahmed (Daily Awam, Quetta), Mohsin Bilal (Daily Ausaf), Ansar Mahmood Bhatti (Monthly Centre Line), Fauzia Shaheen (Monthly Dastak), Muhammad Waqaruddin (Daily Dunya), Bilal Mahmood (Weekly Family), Muhammad Younus Mehar (Daily Halchal), Javed Mehr Shamsi (Daily Kaleem), Syed Ayaz Badshah (Daily Mashriq, Peshawar), Syed Mumtaz Ahmed Shah (Daily Mashriq, Quetta), Tahir Qureshi, Monthly Naey Ufaq), Naveed Sheikh (Daily Nau Sijj), Rukhsana Saulat Saleemi (Weekly Nikhar), Naveed Akram Niazi (Monthly Naya Rukh), Faisal Zahid Malik (Daily Pakistan Observer), Khushnood Ali Khan (Daily Sahafat), Hamayun Gulzar (Daily Sayadat), and Mr. Jamil Athar (Daily Tijarat).
Imran Ather (Daily Jurat, Lahore) and Rahman Athar (Daily The Business, Lahore) attended as special observers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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