KARACHI (PRESS RELEASE) - The APNS and CPNE expressed their profound gratitude to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Federal Finance Ministerr Ishaq Dar and Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid for deciding the long pending issues of print media and directing immediate payment of outstanding bills pertaining to the Information Ministry, devolved ministries and unpaid dues against the federal government departments for the period from 2008 to 2012.
APNS President Hameed Haroon and CPNE President Mujib-ur-Rahman Shami, on behalf of All Pakistan Newspapers Society and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors, expressed their thanks over the kind gesture of the prime minister in addressing the long pending problem of outstanding dues, which had caused acute financial crunch to the newspaper industry and had adversely affected the relations between the federal government and the newspaper industry. They stated that the decision of the prime minister would go a long way in supporting the media in braving the liquidity problem faced by newspapers and advertising agencies and would also promote cordial relations of the industry with the federal government.
The APNS office bearers stated that a meeting of the APNS-CPNE delegation was held with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on June 17, 2015, in which the issue of the long outstanding dues was explained to the PM.
He was informed that a total verified amount of Rs 790 million was outstanding against various ministries and departments of the federal government, including the Information Ministry and the devolved ministries. The prime minister, on the request of APNS, also advised the Information Ministry to notify the promised increase in the government advertisement rates with immediate effect.
The APNS and CPNE office bearers hoped the assurances and directives of the prime minister would be implemented without further delay.