ISLAMABAD, Dec 16 (APP):Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has approved the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021 to protect the rights of journalists and it was standing behind working journalists.
This he said during a meeting with a delegation of Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) which called on him and Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Farrukh Habib congratulated the newly elected members of the CPNE.
The CPNE delegation apprised the ministers of its concerns about the new digital policy, including the fair distribution of advertisements and issues being faced by regional newspapers.
CPNE members welcomed the government’s digital media policy, but said that current member publications of CPNE should be registered by default under the digital media policy.
Fawad assured that publications of CPNE members will be registered by default under new digital policy.
” If any media organization wants to move towards transformation, it will be given full support” he said.
Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that links between Information Ministry officials and media outlets would be further strengthened.
He said that the role of CPNE in protecting the rights of journalists was commendable.
Strengthening regional press will benefit Pakistan, and the government would help in strengthening regional newspapers, Fawad Hussain added.
After the 18th amendment, regional newspapers were a provincial subject, money was transferred from the federation to the provinces, but regional newspapers were not getting the facilities they deserve.
He said that the government would provide loan facility up to Rs. 1 million for digitization of newspapers, Ministry of Information Technology would assist in digitization of newspapers.
With the advancement of news dissemination technology, the importance of regional media has also increased. Regional media played an important role in highlighting local issues, said Chaudhry Fawad.
He said when he became the Minister of Information in 2018, he started the work of digitizing advertisements, and ensured transparency in the advertising system.
Press Information Department has started paperless work and soon it will be paperless.
At present the entire advertising system had become paperless, and all advertisements have been digitized, said the minister.
He said that issues like delay in release order have also been resolved and directly linking PID with AGPR will facilitate payments process.
The minister said that payments for advertisements have not been delayed till April 2020 and all payments have been made since 2018.
Fawad said that there are some issues regarding clients’ payments and consultations were being done in this regard.
Farrukh Habib said that CPNE was a representative body of journalists from all over the country and DGPRs were working within the provinces.
He said new digital media policy will boost transparency.
Federal Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib listened carefully to the problems of the CPNE delegation and assured of their solution.
The CPNE delegation comprised President Kazim Khan, Senior Vice President Ayaz Khan, Secretary General Amir Mahmood, Deputy Secretary General Yousuf Nizami, Vice President Islamabad Sardar Khan Niazi, Joint Secretary (Islamabad) Shakeel Ahmed Turabi,
Joint Secretary (Punjab). Tanveer Shaukat, Vice President (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Dr. Hafiz Sanaullah Khan, Joint Secretary (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Tahir Farooq, Joint Secretary (Sindh) Ghulam Nabi Khan Chandio.Principal Information Officer Sohail Ali Khan was also present in the meeting.
