President gives KPC Rs25 million grant from Punjab govt;
vows to help resolve issues of journalists
President Mamnoon Hussain said on Saturday that the state and government of Pakistan fully believed in the right of freedom of expression of the people.
He was addressing a gathering at the Governor House, where he gave the Karachi Press Club a cheque of a 25-million-rupee grant from the Punjab government.
KPC President Siraj Ahmed along with other office-bearers of the press club and senior journalists received the cheque from the president. Sindh Governor Mohammad Zubair, Punjab Information Minister Mian Mujtaba Shuja-ur-Rehman and Punjab government spokesman Malik Ahmed Khan were also present on the occasion.
President Mamnoon Hussain said the best of methods were also being used for resolving issues of journalists on a priority basis. He said he was saddened to witness the present state of affairs of Karachi but hoped things would improve in the near future.
He further stated that his personal efforts were also involved in getting this grant disbursed to the KPC as he had reminded Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif that he (Sharif) had announced a grant for the press cub during his visit in the previous regime.
He said the chief minister had announced he would give a grant of Rs50 million to the KPC. He said half the grant was being given in the current financial year and the rest of the grant, Rs25 million, would be given in the next financial year.
The president said he should be intimated in writing about issues related to the construction of houses in the proposed housing scheme facility for KPC members at Hawkesbay so that assistance could be provided to this effect.
He added that either the House Building Finance Corporation or any non-governmental organisation could be approached for getting financial assistance in this regard.
The president said that the Punjab chief minister had taken praiseworthy action by giving a grant to the KPC as it would enhance inter-provincial harmony in the country.
KPC President Siraj Ahmed and Secretary Maqsood Yousufi thanked the president, the Punjab chief minister, the Sindh governor and the Punjab information minister for giving the grant to the press club.
Yousfui announced life-time membership of the press club for the president of Pakistan and the Punjab chief minister.
The Sindh governor said the best of efforts were being made to get support of the private sector for improving the economy of the country.
The governor said he had been taking a number of steps to showcase the Pakistani market and economy for attracting investment from abroad. Despite all these engagements, he said, he always spared time to meet journalists on a regular basis to get firsthand information and feedback from them on the country’s situation.
Zubair said that whenever the Karachi Press Club invited him, he would not hesitate to visit the press club without any security and protocol.