Sir: Newspapers are a source of providing information about the world. Shockingly, the importance of newspapers has diminished in our country. On a daily basis, thousands of newspapers are printed for the general public. Unfortunately, instead of being read, a large quantity of newspapers is thrown into dustbins. In fact, the newspapers play a vital role for the progress of a country since they are a source of promoting the reading culture. A boom in the electronic media has affected the print industry. People find the electronic media a cheaper source to get knowledge about different happenings in society. Moreover, many important dailies reach late in far-off cities like Turbat, Quetta and Panjgur and in other parts of the country. This is because of broken roads and irregular flight schedules. On the other hand, the price of a quality English daily is very high. It is available between Rs 15 to 20 per newspaper. What is more surprising is the literacy rate, which is coming down day by day in Pakistan. Indeed, in other countries like England, China and Japan, people are provided with free newspapers that helps increase the literacy rate. The government should provide a subsidy to newspapers for the growth of this medium of information. AQIL BABA Turbat