Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan directed the government departments to release overdue amount to media houses against the official advertisements that were published.

Talking to the media on Monday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the government was well aware of the problems that the media organizations and journalists were facing. “All due payments of media houses will soon be released,” he said, adding that the journalists would not be left unemployed.

The minister also said that the previous government used advertisement for its personal fame whereas the current government would grant advertisements to the media houses on merit. He said that the PM has directed all government departments to release dues of all media houses immediately.

The PM directed the departments after the growing unemployment of journalist and financial issues of media houses. He, however, directed the release of their due remittances. He said that the government’s control on government advertisement was being ended and after that, all the advertisement would be granted to media houses on merit.

The minister further said that the PTI government had promised to grant jobs, not to leave people unemployed; whereas journalists have been left unemployed. The decision has been taken to prevent labour class of journalists from unemployment.