PM says govt believes in media independence

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif while talking to a delegation of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) on Thursday assured payment of all outstanding dues of newspapers at the earliest.

A delegation of APNS met the Prime Minister here at PM House on Thursday. The delegation comprised Nazafreen Saigol, Sarmad Ali, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Shahab Zubairi, Muhammad Athar Qazi, Syed Munir Jilani, Mohsin Bilal, Mehtab Khan and Faisal Zahid Malik. Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar was also present on the occasion.

The prime minister assured the delegation of addressing problems being faced by the journalist community and newspapers. Shehbaz Sharif expressed the hope that the journalist community would play its due role for with responsible reporting for strengthening of democracy in the country.

“I call upon journalist community to support the government in its efforts for country’s progress and prosperity,” he said.

Shehbaz acknowledged that no doubt media was the fourth pillar of state and plays an important role in mental training of people. “ Media also plays a key role for ensuring good governance,” he said. He said that fake news was also a big challenge saying that the government and media would have to work jointly to eliminate the same.

Moreover, he said the government also believes in independence of media and is taking all possible measures in this direction. Shehbaz said that the government is facing biggest challenge of revival economy and same is its top priority. Apprising the delegation of measures to put economy on the right track, he said the government had embarked upon task of complete digitization of the Federal Board of Revenue.