Maher stresses harmonious press-government ties
KARACHI- Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Muhammad Khan Maher has said that the government would take maximum steps to ensure the freedom of press, and stressed the need for building an environment of trust and confidence between the press and the government.
He was addressing the 16th All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) Awards Ceremony (1999-2000) as chief guest here on March 18, 2003. He observed that in Pakistan promotion of the media and a comprehensive durable democratic society are interdependent.
He stated that the Media Aid Policy of the government had changed, owing to serious financial crisis. Though the government still owed the newspapers heavily in terms of advertisement revenues, it, all the same, wanted to play its role in strengthening the press. He disclosed that the Sindh cabinet approved a new policy at its last meeting and very soon government advertisements would be released to six, instead of three, newspapers.
He conceded that the working of the Information Department of Sindh Government was not up to the mark but the government was taking steps to provide modern equipment and facilities to the department, such as fax, email and computers. He said that training of a group of information officers, for enhancement of their professional skills, had already commenced from March 17.
Chief Minister Maher said that maintaining law and order in the province was the top priority of his government. He was of the view that the press may have their own perception of the issue but that did not warrant browbeating of the institution. “My government is taking positive steps to eliminate such incidents, and we are ready to give protection to every institution,” he added.
Highlighting the steps his government had taken for the members of the press corps, Sardar Ali Maher said that the Sindh government recently resolved the issue of plots of the Karachi Press Club (KPC) members, which matter had been pending since the last three years. He said that he had ordered the immediate release of Rs10 million for the development of the Hawkesbay Scheme 42.
In order to resolve the issue of headquarters of the APNS, he said a committee was being constituted to work with the APNS to find a solution. Regarding the Information Act-2002, he hoped that the federal government would take the APNS into confidence and resort to appropriate measures on the disputed clauses.
He congratulated the APNS for completing its 50 years of existence and praised the role of society in bridging the gap between the government and the Fourth Pillar of the State, the press.
Earlier, the President APNS, Hameed Haroon in his welcome address thanked the Chief Minister Sardar Ali Muhammad Khan Maher for gracing the occasion. He also highlighted the problems being faced by the press and the APNS.
The ceremony was widely attended by well-known personalities, publishers and editors, senior government officials and advertisers. Prominent among the gathering were the Editor-in-Chief of The News, Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman; Secretary General APNS, Kazi Asad Abid; Vice President Zia Shahid; Federal Secretary for Information and Media Development, Anwar Mahmood, and others.
The awards presentation ceremony was followed by a variety show. Federal Minister for Information and Media Development Shaikh Rashid Ahmed could not attend the main ceremony due to his pressing engagements. However, he turned up towards the tail-end of the function and announced a prize of Rs25,000 to each award-winning journalist. Earlier the Sindh chief minister distributed the awards among the winners.
Source: The News
Date:3/19/2003
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