Balochistan chief minister enhances provincial ad budget on APNS demand | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Balochistan chief minister enhances provincial ad budget on APNS demand

KARACHI (October 22 2003): Mohammad Aslam Kazi, Secretary-General, All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) announced after the luncheon meeting hosted by Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mir Yousaf Ali that the government of Balochistan has accepted the demands put forward by the APNS President, Arif Nizami.

The Chief Minister agreed to increase the province’s advertisement budget by 100 percent and assured equitable distribution of government ads to the publications based in the province. He also directed the information department to give weight age to local publications over the chain newspapers.

He agreed that an APNS Committee should co-ordinate with the provincial government to sort out the problems which arises in the formulation and execution of media policy. The Chief Minister approved the proposal of inter-provincial exchange of editors and journalists to enhance unity and harmony among the people of different provinces. He suggested to the APNS to chalk out a schedule for the visits.

Jam Yousaf Ali approved the APNS demands to evolve a programme for the training of journalists and advised the provincial government to take necessary measures in this direction in consultation with the APNS provincial body. He also announced to appoint a media liaison officer at Islamabad to facilitate newspapers to resolve their problems with the Federal Government.

The Chief Minister, on the request of President APNS Executive Committee, said that he would support APNS to insist upon the PID to ensure observance of 25 percent allocation of ads to Balochistan-based publications. The President of APNS thanked the Chief Minister for favorable consideration of APNS demands and assured him on behalf of the APNS to highlight the problems faced by Balochistan government and project the developmental policies of the provincial government in the national press.

Earlier, the Executive Committee of the APNS, which met at Quetta under the chairmanship of its President, Arif Nizami, thoroughly deliberated on the situation of newspaper industry in Balochistan and the problems faced by the publications in the province. The committee approved the report of Syed Faseih Iqbal, Convener, Provincial Committee, and requested the President to take up the issues with the Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan as well as with Federal Government.

The Executive Committee in a resolution condemned the increasing trend of blackmailing in a section of the press and stated that the APNS as a sole representative body of newspapers completely disassociates itself from the malpractices of blackmailing, press raids on private concerns and harassment of citizens of the country by ‘Bhatta mafia’.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:10/22/2003