Mir Shakil meets Shahbaz, Federal , Ministers, Saif
ISLAMABAD: Chief Executive of the Jang Group of Newspapers Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman met Punjab Chief-Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Federal Information Minister Mushahid Hussain, Federal Law Minister Khalid Anwar, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ch. Nisar and Chairman Ehtesab Bureau Senator Saifur Rehman on Saturday..
The meeting lasted for five hours during which the government promised to restore the newsprint quota to the Jang Group while the police were removed from outside the offices of daily Jang and The News.
During the meeting Mir Shakil demanded of the government to release the newsprint the payment for which has already been made. He also demanded withdrawal of tax notices and removal of F1Apersonnel from outside the Jang Group offices in exchange of
which he assured “a good behaviour of the newspaper”.
Later, addressing the workers of the Jang and The News, Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman said that he held a five-hour long meeting with the government representatives. ‘The government has accepted most of our demands. The meeting is a good progress.’ A goodwill gesture has been shown by the government side but we still have a long way to go,” he added.
He said: “The credit goes to the government for accepting our demands.”
APP: adds: Sen. Saif pointed out that running media campaign was basically uncalled for. It started with tax recovery and, therefore, there was no question of discrimination, he added.
“The government is determined to recover outstanding tax from all defaulters,” he said.
He assured that “the government does not intend to impose any Press curbs.”
He said despite all kinds of provocation by the Jang Group, the government did not take any legal action against it.
“Mir Shakil regretted for making public informal talks held in the past,” the EB official said.
According to the source, “the negotiations will continue.”
“Mir Shakil asked that the tax cases issued by the government against the Jang Group be withdrawn. On it, the Chief of the Ehtesab Bureau maintained that these have to be resolved through legal parameters between the revenue collection authorities and the Jang Group,” source further said.
“As far as newsprint was concerned, the same has been released as per orders of the Supreme Court,” Sen. Saif stated.
“Police and FIA have been conveyed orders to withdraw their staff from the Jang Group of publications,” he said.
“Besides, instructions have been issued to unfreeze some accounts of the Jang Group so that it could disburse salaries to the employees,” he added.
The EB chief said: “The Government upholds press freedom butt it expected from the free press to display responsibility and support the national causes.
Sen. Saifur Rehman hoped that “the Jang Group of Newspapers would end the contract system of employment and implement the wage board awards. The need for it was repeatedly impressed by the various media trade bodies’ representatives during the government Jang Group row.”
“The meeting ended on a positive note and these negotiations will continue,” the EB official said.
Source: Nation
Date:2/8/1999
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