Dues of newspapers: SHC asks Sindh government to make payment

Sindh High Court on Wednesday ordered the provincial government to pay the dues of newspapers lying outstanding against the government advertisements.

SHC issued these orders while hearing a "contempt of court" petition" filed by Dr Jabbar Khattak, Secretary General Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) against the Sindh government for not complying with previous orders of the court.

A division bench of SHC comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice K. K. Agha inquired whether advertising agencies have received the payment from Sindh Government and if so, then they have paid the same to newspapers after deduction of their fifteen percent commission or not?

Justice Mazhar inquired from Sindh Information Department about the mechanism if advertising agencies do not pay dues to newspapers after receiving the same from the provincial government.

The court also reprimanded the officials of provincial information department and remarked, "Why not Chief Secretary Sindh and Information Secretary should be summoned in this regard?"

The court ordered the provincial information department to submit a report about the compliance of its orders by ensuring the payment of dues to newspapers in twenty days.

Dr Khattak told the court that Sindh Government paid Rs.1 billion to advertising agencies under the court orders, however newspapers didn't receive their dues fully.

He also submitted in the court that Sindh Information Department is not providing CPNE the information about the payment given to advertising agencies.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case till January 21, 2020 by issuing the orders to pay the arrears to the newspapers in 20 days.