Dues of newspaper industry to be settled by June 30: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday announced that the government will clear its outstanding advertising dues of newspapers on priority to alleviate the serious cash crunch being faced by the industry.

The prime minister also instructed for all dues to be reconciled by June 30. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) led by its President Sarmad Ali and Secretary General Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani, says a press release.

Shehbaz further said that his government does not believe in political victimisation and will therefore clear advertising dues of the previous government. He assured the delegation that the government’s advertising rates of the newspapers will be adjusted in line with inflation.

The prime minister also committed that no new taxes and duties would be imposed on the newspaper industry in the coming budget and that the government would consider providing additional relief measures to help crisis-ridden newspaper industry to cope with the extraordinary inflationary pressures.

Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Fahd Husain were also present. The APNS delegation also comprised of senior members Mujeeb ur Rahman Shami, Jamil Ather, Shahab Zuberi, Ramiza Nizami, Umar Shami, Imtinan Shahid, Mumtaz Tahir, Mohsin Bilal, Awais Khushnood, Waseem Ahmed, Munir Gillani and Humayon Gulzar.