Newspaper sellers pillar of industry
LAHORE- Majid Nizami, Editor Nawa-i-Waqt and Editor-in-Chief The Nation has said that newspapers have become an industry though for some it is also a mission. He stated that newspaper sellers are a pillar of this industry and congratulated them for holding free and fair elections for their union.
He was speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the Akhbar Farosh Union on October 20, 2002.
District Nazim (Administrator) Mian Amir Mehmood, Editor of the daily Wafaq Mastafa Sadiq, Editor daily Insaf Junaid Saleem, Joint Editor daily Khabrain Adnan Shahid, representative of the daily Dawn Kashif Saeed, representative of the daily Jang Khalid Rashid, Chief Editor daily Din Masood Sadiq, Editor daily Muqabla and Leader Ali Ahmad Dhillon, representative of daily Express Abid Abdullah, General Secretary of Rawalpindi Newspaper Sellers Union Aftab Ahmad Abbasi, President of Lahore Newspaper Sellers Union Nazir Ahmad, General Secretary of the same Union Malik Muhammad Ilyas, Ex-president of the same Union Chaudhry Iqbal and, ex-general secretary Wajid Ali Shah also spoke on the occasion.
Mian Amir Mehmood administered oath to the newly elected office-bearers of the Union.
Majid Nizami said that they had even taken oath after their elections but the National Assembly members have not as yet been able to decide as to who should be elected first, Speaker National Assembly or Prime Minister. They were groping in the dark, he added.
He prayed to the Almighty to grant our representatives force to follow the footsteps of newspaper sellers so that a true democracy could thrive in Pakistan and it could become a real manifestation of Iqbal and Quaid’s dreams.
Speaking on the occasion, Mian Amir said that Majid Nizami had given real direction to the profession of journalism. Nawa-i-Waqt had established positive traditions in this field. He said governments taking decisions at night had been mentioned here but his government takes all its decisions in the broad day light .He promised to provide land for the construction of an Akhbar Fariosh market and also give maximum facilities.
Mustafa Sadiq observed the pen spreading vulgarity is worse than the broomer cleaning it. He said that all out efforts would be made to supply newspapers to the sellers in time.
Kashif Saeed said we would try to cultivate better relations with the Akhbar Farosh community. Junaid Saleem reiterated that the government should take decisions in daytime so that newspapers could be published in time.
Ch Nazir Ahmad said that the Akhbar Farosh Union gives dowry and accident fund to its members. In addition, the Union also finances one member for the Haj every year along with running a free dispensary.
He requested the District Government to provide the Union land for newspaper market. He also asked the administration to build cabins for the newspaper sellers along the footpaths on the pattern of Karachi. He further maintained that newspaper selling is the backbone of the newspaper industry. He urged the concerned quarters to provide newspapers in time as delay causes a lot of troubles.
Aftab Ahmad Abbasi remarked that the Union had upheld its democratic traditions by conducting its elections within 20 days. “These free and fair elections are a trail blazer for the regime and the Election Commission”, he added.
He urged upon the government to transfer power to the elected members of the people so that the growing disappointment among the masses came to an end.
Editor daily Inqlab Isar Rana, Editor daily Awaz Khalid Farooqi, Mukhtar Amir of daily Aftab, Arshad Yasin of daily Insaf, General Manager Administration Nawa-i-Waqat Mujahid Hussain Sayyed and Circulation Manager Iftkhar Ali Shah were also present.
Source: The Nation
Date:10/31/2002
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