APNS elects new office-bearers

KARACHI: All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) elected new office bearers during its annual general council meeting which was held at APNS House Karachi on Monday.

The APNS general council meeting unanimously elected Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani as President, Sarmad Ali as Secretary General, Imtinan Shahid as Senior Vice President, Muhammad Aslam Kazi as Vice President, SM Munir Jilani as Joint Secretary and Shahab Zuberi as Finance Secretary of the Society, says a press release on Monday.

The AGM was held under the chairmanship of Sarmad Ali, President of the Society. The Council unanimously approved the report of the Executive Committee for the year 2022-2023 as well as the Annual Accounts of the Society for the year 2022.

The General Council meeting was attended by 128 members from across the country, formed an Election Commission headed by Dr Waqar Yousuf Azeemi with Nasir Daad Baloch and Mumtaz Ahmed Phulpoto as members. The Election Commission conducted the election of the Executive Committee for the year 2023-24.

Following dailies and magazines were elected unopposed to the Executive Committee of the APNS for the next tenure:

Daily Aghaz, Daily Business Recorder, Daily Deyanat, Daily Dawn, Daily Jasarat, Daily Jiddat (Khi), Daily Abtak, Daily Dunya, Daily Jang, Daily Khabrain, Daily Pakistan, Daily Tijarat, Daily Ausaf, Daily Sahafat, Daily Awam (Quetta), Daily Mashriq (Quetta), Daily Mashriq (Peshawar), Daily Wahdat, Daily Kawish (Hyd), Daily Kaleem (Sukkur), Daily Aftab (Multan), Daily Paigham, Daily Business Report, Daily City 42, Daily Pakistan Observer, Daily Halchal (Hyd) and Daily Sayadat, Monthly Dastak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Monthly Naey Ufaq, Monthly Naya Rukh, Monthly Centerline, Fortnightly Ibrat Magazine and Weekly Nikhar were elected on periodical seats.

The new Executive Committee elected Mrs. Zahida Abbasi of Daily Nau Sijj, Karachi on woman - publishers seat.

The newly elected Executive Committee appreciated the performance of the Election Commission.

The AGM in a resolution, expressed its profound concern on the state of print media due to the present economic situation which has caused severe financial crisis for newspapers, many of them are at the verge of collapse. In this situation, the media expected support from the government to brave the financial crunch.

The AGM urged upon the federal government to pay the long outstanding dues of newspaper industry amounting to over Rs2 billion, increase the quantum of advertisements and allocate a separate share of print media in the advertising budget so that the newspaper industry would be able to survive in the present situation.

The AGM reiterated that the federal government has not yet implemented the recommendation of 8th Wage Board to increase the government advertising rates in proportion increase in the wages despite various assurances.