Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced that the government will pay off its advertising debts to newspapers as soon as possible to assist the industry in overcoming its financial crisis. He also ordered that all unpaid debts be paid by June 30. He was addressing a gathering of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that the government will pay off its outstanding advertising debts to newspapers as soon as possible in order to alleviate the industry’s severe cash crunch.
He also directed that all outstanding debts be paid by June 30. On Sunday, he spoke to a delegation from the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), led by President Sarmad Ali and Secretary General Naz Afreen Saigol Lakhani.
Shehbaz Sharif stated that his government does not believe in political victimization and that it will pay the previous government’s advertising dues. He promised that the government’s newspaper advertising rates would be adjusted in line with inflation.
He also pledged that no new taxes or duties would be imposed on the newspaper industry in the upcoming budget and that the government would consider additional relief measures to assist the crisis-hit newspaper industry in dealing with the extraordinary inflationary pressures.
Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Fahd Hussain were also present. The APNS delegation comprised 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.
