LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz 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.
He also instructed that all dues should be reconciled by June 30. He further said that his government did not believe in political victimization and will therefore clear advertising dues of the previous government.
He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society led by its President Sarmad Ali and Secretary General Naz Afreen Saigol Lakhani. The prime minister assured that the government advertising rates of the newspapers will be adjusted in line with inflation.
He 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 up with the extraordinary inflationary pressures.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Fahd Hussain were also present. The APNS delegation 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.