All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) slates bomb blast at Nawa-i-Waqt office
KARACHI- The Periodicals Committee of the APNS at its meeting held under the chairmanship of its convener Mr Aamir Mahmood strongly condemned the incident of bomb blast in the premises of the Nawa-i-Waqt and The Nation where three people died and many injured.
The Committee was of the considered opinion that the blast was an attack on the Press and has grave implications for Press freedoms as the incident clearly indicates the growing intolerance in our society where certain political parties and-groups are involved in using violence to silent the dissenting voice.
The members of the Committee expressed their deep concern over the persistent failure of the government to book the culprits engaged in such heinous crimes. The members urged upon the Federal and Provincial authorities to immediately provide protection to the newspaper officers and their workers so as they could perform their professional duties without fear. The members expressed their complete solidarity with the Nawa-i-Waqt administration and condoled the death of the workers in the incident.
The Periodical Committee expressed its grave concern over the financial crisis being faced by the periodical and newspaper industry ever the rising prices of newsprint in the international market, increase in the Dollar-Rupee conversion rate and enormous slash in the advertisement quantum which have brought the newspaper industry to a virtual collapse.
The members noted that the withdrawal of 2.5 per cent excise duty on newsprint has no significant effect on the situation. The members therefore recommended to the Executive Committee of the APNS to urge upon the government to withdraw the GST on the import of newsprint so that the newspaper industry could be able to bear the increased financial burden to some extent.
The Periodical Committee noted that the Federal and Provincial governments were not releasing, their advertisements to periodical publications contrary to the agreed formula. The Committee has requested the Executive Committee of the Society to take up the issue with concerned authorities. The Committee also decided to print a Directory of periodical publications to highlight the importance and significance of periodical media.
Source: The Nation
Date:11/8/2000
” 
” 
” 
” 
