The APNS has welcomed the decision of Sindh government to lift the ban on provincial government advertisements to 'Daily Dawn' imposed by it on last Thursday stated a press statement of the APNS. Kazi Asad Abid, Secretary General in a press statement has termed the decision as a positive and healthy step by the Sindh government and hoped that the federal and other provincial governments would also follow the suit.
He emphasised that the use of advertisement as a lever to curb press freedom has always been applied by dictatorial regimes, which is incompatible with democratic dispensation. He therefore, urged upon the federal and provincial governments to refrain from using advertisements as arm twisting of dissenting press.
The secretary general stated that the APNS has always urged upon the governments to decentralise and deregulate government advertisements, so that the advertisements emanated from public exchequer should not be left on whims and wishes of few individuals The APNS and the CPNE at their recent joint meeting has therefore demanded that the quantum of advertisements released by the federal and provincial government should be displayed on the respective web sites of respective government regularly so that the judicious distribution of advertisements may be ensured.-PR