PM calls for tackling challenge of fake news

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that bringing the country’s economy back on track was the biggest challenge which the incumbent government was facing.

The prime minister was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) which met him here at Prime Minister House.

The delegation comprised Shakeel Masood, Mir Ibrahim Rahman, Mian Aamir Mahmood, and Sultan Lakhani. Minister for information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar was also present on the occasion. The PBA delegation congratulated the Shehbaz Sharif on assuming his responsibilities as Prime Minister and expressed best wishes for him.

Talking about importance of media, the prime minister said that media has always been the fourth pillar of state, saying electronic media plays key role in progress of society and mental training of people. He reiterated that the government believes in independence of media and freedom of expression and is taking every possible measures in the same direction.

Shehbaz Sharif said that protection of rights of media representative is responsibility of state, expressing the hope that media will play through impartial reporting the role for stability of democracy. He also called for tackling the challenge of fake news. He called upon electronic media to support the government in its endeavours for the country’s progress and prosperity.

Shehbaz Sharif while apprising the delegation of government’s economic priorities said that the government took over at a time when it was facing many problems, the Media Wing of Prime Minister, in a statement, said.

The prime minister said that privatization of loss making State-Owned Enterprises (EOEs), institutional reforms, increasing domestic and foreign investment and austerity have been government’s top priorities.

He said that a committee which was constituted to recommend measures for reducing government’s expenses would soon present its recommendations and same would also be made public by himself. He further said that the Federal Cabinet voluntarily had decided not to draw salaries and allowances.

The prime minister further apprised the delegations that services of international experts have also been acquired for 100 percent digitization of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He said the government would encourage best tax payers, exporters and women entrepreneurs.