Jabbar meets Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) on proposed press council | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Jabbar meets Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) on proposed press council

LAHORE- Federal Information Minister Javed Jabbar and a delegation of Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) met and discussed the draft text of the proposed press council law.

Talking to newsmen afterwards, Jabbar said the discussion covered several significant issues pertaining to the proposed press council including its concept, composition and functioning. He said it was mutually agreed that the earliest possible establishment of the press council would help the readers and citizens to redress their complaints against the press and also institutionalise and strengthen the freedom of press. He apprised CPNE president Arif Nizami of the discussion held between the government and APNS on July 22.

The other members of the CPNE delegation included Editor Khabrain Zia Shahid, Editor Pakistan Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami, Editor Aftab, Multan Mumtaz Tahir and Editor Aghaz Karachi Anwar Farooqi.

Besides Jabbar, the other government representatives were Punjab Information Minister Shafqat Mahmood, Information Secretary Salim Gul Sheikh and Akram Shaheedi, Director-General, Press Information Department, Lahore.

Jabbar regretted that due to extremely inadvertent reasons the parawise comments of the ministry of information on the document provided by CPNE had not been supplied to the CPNE in advance of the meeting, as it was assumed that previous meeting of the APNS might also have covered common issues of concern.

The minister assured the CPNE that the government would formally address the CPNE president a communication by August 7, conveying government’s official response to the suggestions made by the CPNE.

It was mutually agreed that the earliest possible establishment of the press council would help the readers and citizens to obtain readers about the complaints regarding the contents of newspapers and magazines and would also institutionalise and strengthen the freedom of press. It was resolved that the next meeting in conjunction with APNS if convergent for all would be held in the last week of the current month.

Nizami said of the council should be a self-regulatory body, which could ensure freedom of the press. He said the Press Council must also be workable under the local conditions and requirements. He appreciated that the government’s commitment towards freedom of press and said the national press would continue to play its due role in espousing the cause of national issues.

Source: The News
Date:8/3/2000