CPNE delegation calls on Sindh information minister

KARACHI: A delegation of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Wednesday called on Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon at his office.

The delegation was comprised of CPNE Secretary General Aamir Mehmood, Dr Abdul Jabbar Khattak, Maqsood Yousufi, Saeed Khawar, Ghulam Nabi Chandio and Basheer Memon. On the occasion, Secretary Information Abdul Rasheed Solangi was also present. The delegation apprised the information minister about the problems being faced by the print media.

In the meeting, the CPNE officials informed the Sindh information minister that after 18th Amendment, information is now a provincial subject but many matters have not yet been devolved to the provincial government.

They suggested that matter of devolution of Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) of the newspapers to the provincial governments should be taken up with the federal government. While assuring that he would address all the problems of newspapers, Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the PPP leadership has once again given him the responsibility of Sindh Information Department for addressing the issues of media on priority.

He said that 80 percent of the payments have been made to the various media houses in term of advertisements and the non-budgeted payments of newspapers would also be ensured. Provincial Minster Sharjeel Memon said that soon after assuming the charge of department, he had tasked Information Department with preparing new advertisement policy 2022.

The new advertisement policy 2022 has been approved that also covers digital media. He informed that an advertisement for registration of digital media will be published in newspapers tomorrow (Thursday) adding that the advertisement budget for the print, electronic and digital media will separately be allocated.