APNS and CPNE concerned over ban of government ads
KARACHI: The APNS-CPNE Joint Action Committee which met under co-chairmanship of Shakil-ur-Rahman, President CPNE and Syed Faseih Iqbal, Senior Vice President APNS, expressed their concern over the ban of government advertisements to a section of the press.
The Committee noted that the long drawn ban on the advertisements to the publications have disenchanted the member publications and resulted in perceived fears that the lever of advertisements could also be used against the dissenting publications.
The Committee also noted that the track record of government of General Pervez Musharraf towards the press has remained, positive and during last four years, it has avoided to impose curbs and restrictions on the press.
Unlike the past governments, the Musharraf government has tolerated press criticism with an open heart and the press expects that such practice would not only be continued but the impediments in the establishment of a truly free press would also be done away with.
The Joint Action Committee was pained to note that the unfortunate action against the Nawa-i-Waqt/The Nation has strained the existing press-government relations which should be resolved through a meaningful and constructive dialogue between the government and the press.
The present geo-political situation in the region and the state of democratic dispensation in the country demands a cordial and healthy press-government relations which could guarantee a truly free, objective and feasible press in the country.
The Joint Action Committee has, therefore, decided to take up the matter with the President and the Prime Minister to intervene in the matter so that the recent difficulties being faced by the press are removed amicably.
The Committee hoped that such meeting shall be held before March 31, 2004, as the Joint Committee has to report the development in the matter to the Annual General Council of the APNS.
The meeting was attended by Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, Syed Faseih Iqbal, Mohammed Aslam Kazi, Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Kazi Asad Abid, Arshad A Zuberi and Inqlab Matri.
Source: The News
Date:3/27/2004
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