APNS Condemns Punjab Government’s Amendment to Procurement Rules, Warns of Crisis for Struggling Newspapers
The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has strongly denounced the Punjab government’s recent amendment to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, which resulted in a halt to newspaper tender advertisements. APNS has warned that this decision could devastate the already struggling newspaper industry, mainly smaller and regional publications, leading to potential closures and job losses across the sector.
At a meeting chaired by Jamil Athar, the APNS Punjab Committee emphasized the critical importance of tender advertisements as a vital source of revenue for newspapers, especially those facing financial difficulties. The committee stated that suspending these ads would only deepen the industry’s financial crisis and jeopardize the survival of many publications.
The committee called Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to intervene and revoke the amendment urgently. Attendees included leading figures in the media industry, such as Irfan Ashraf (Jang), Imran Raza (Dawn), Mohammad Farooq (Pakistan), Sheikh Furqan (Khabrain), Safdar Ali Khan (Sarzameen), Awais Raazi (Taqat), Mohsin Mumtaz (Aftab), Imran Athar Kazi (Tijarat), and Irfan Athar Kazi (Jurrat).
APNS announced plans to form a Joint Action Committee in collaboration with other media bodies, including the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). The committee will explore legal avenues and, if necessary, organize protests to press the government to withdraw the amendment.