Govt using ads as tool to silence fair, objective comments: APNS

KARACHI: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has regretted that the present democratically elected government is resorting to use advertisements as tool to silence fair and objective comments in the print and electronic media.

The Executive Committee of the APNS held its meeting on Tuesday at Karachi which was chaired by the President APNS Hameed Haroon.

The members pointed out that the quantum of advertisements of federal government and various provincial governments had not only been curtailed, but the advertisements were being released to selected media whereas other genuine publications were being denied.

The president briefed the members on the proceedings of the 8th Wage Board and explained the salient features of the deliberations were held in the concluding sessions.

The Executive Committee decided to hold its award ceremony in the month of February 2020 wherein the winners of 23rd journalist awards and 24th advertising awards will be bestowed their awards.

The members of the Executive Committee offered Fateha on the sad demise of mother of Sarmad Ali, Secretary General APNS, and Danyal Waseem, elder son of Waseem Ahmed, Chairman Balochistan Committee. The meeting was attended by the following Hameed Haroon President Sarmad Ali, Secretary General Syed Muhammad Munir Jilani, Joint Secretary Shahab Zuberi, Finance Secretary Syed Ali Manzar, Aftab Bilal Farooqi, Daily Aghaz Mukhtar; Ahmed Aaqil, Weekly Al Akhbar Karachi; Syed Turab Shah, Daily Ausaf, Najamuddin Sheikh, Daily Deyanat, Kazi Asad Abid, Fortnightly Ibrat; Syed Akbar Tahir, Daily Jasarat, Javed Mehr Shamsi, Daily Kaleem, Zeeshan Shami Daily Mashriq Quetta; Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi, Monthly Naey Ufaq; Salman Qureshi, Monthly Naya Rukh; Mubasher Mir, Daily Pakistan Lahore; Faisal Zahid Malik, Pakistan Observer; Dr Waqar Yousuf Azeemi, Monthly Roohani Digest; Riaz Ahmed Mansuri, Monthly The Cricketer; Mrs Masudah M Ahmad, Monthly Teenager; and Usman Arab Saati, Daily Vatan Gujrati.