ISLAMABAD, Mar 28 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday assured that all issues faced by the journalist community would be resolved and the government would fully support mediamen in the fulfillment of their responsibilities.
He was speaking to a delegation of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS). Naz Afreen Sehgal. Sarmad Ali, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Shahab Zuberi, Muhammad Athar Qazi, Syed Munir Jilani, Mohsin Bilal, Mehtab Khan and Faisal Zahid Malik were part of the delegation.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and relevant officers attended the meeting.
The delegation felicitated the prime minister on assuming his office and
expressed best wishes. The prime minister congratulated the newly elected panel of APNS and expressed his best wishes.
He said he formed the government in very difficult circumstances and the
rehabilitation of the economy was the biggest challenge and priority
of the government. He informed the delegation about the government efforts and strategy to revive the economy.
A strategy was being formulated to modernize the system of tax collection, he said adding Federal Board of Revenue was being completely digitalized and work was continuing for increasing the tax base. Cases of more than Rs 2000 billion were pending in the courts and tribunals, he told.
He said recently the government held the Tax Excellency Award with the aim to encourage good taxpayers, exporters and women entrepreneurs. Billions of rupees of electricity was being stolen and to stop this a whole of the government approach had been adopted, he added.
He said privatization of loss-making state-owned entities, institutional reforms, domestic and foreign investment and austerity were priorities of the government.
He said a committee had been formed to bring down the expenditure of the government and
it would soon present its recommendations.
He said media was fourth pillar of the state and the role of electronic media in the progress and development of society and mental and intellectual training of people was of great importance.
The PM was of the view that media had a vital role in ensuring good governance and to keep the public informed. Even in this digital era, the importance of print media could not be denied.
The media could play an important role in delivering the fruits of economic stability under the Special Investment Facilitation Council, he remarked.
Fake news was a big challenge and the government and media needed to work together to stop it, he said adding the government completely believed in the freedom of the press and was taking all possible measures in this regard.
“We hope that the journalist community will continue to play its role in the stability of democracy through responsible and impartial reporting.” The prime minister said the journalist community should support the government efforts for progress and prosperity of Pakistan.
