APNS EXECUTIVE BODY CALLED ON ABDUL ALEEM KHAN

SR. MINISTER ASSURED TO RESOLVE ISSUES OF MEDIA INDUSTRY

APNS EXECUTIVE BODY CALLED ON ABDUL ALEEM KHAN

LAHORE, JANUARY 26: Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan has said that media is an important pillar of the state and present Government would extend all out cooperation to resolve the issues of newspaper industry for which meeting with Chief Minister Punjab will be arranged shortly. He expressed these views while talking to a delegation of Executive Body of All Pakistan Newspapers Association (APNS) here at 90 The Mall. President APNS Sarmad Ali along with other office bearers called on Senior Minister and apprised him about the present state of affairs and problems they are facing. Abdul Aleem Khan said that there is no doubt that media played a pivotal role in bringing PTI and Imran Khan to this stage of success and today newspapers and television channels are again free to criticize the government. He invited the journalist’s community to point out the shortcomings which will be addressed accordingly. Talking on the present situation in the country, Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan claimed that the last government left huge debts and corruption while the traditional corrupt system had failed to provide any sort of relief to the common man. He said that nawaz league carried on with bogus facts and figures while only during the in-term government checques of 38 billion in Punjab were bounced back. Abdul Aleem Khan said that presently a number of projects in Punjab have become white elephant and we bent upon to either close them or carry on under heavy debts. Senior Minister said that present government is compelled to reduce annual development program by 67 per cent and we need more 4 years to complete the ongoing projects without starting any new initiative in Punjab. He claimed that journey in the right direction has already been started under the dynamic leadership of Imran Khan and soon there would sigh of relief for the masses. Abdul Aleem khan accepted the reality that in the country investments friendly atmosphere is necessary to invite local and foreign investment which would increase employment as well as new business opportunities and will also strengthen the national economy. Senior Minister talking about his Ministry said that big changes are being brought in Local Government sector and especially new local bodies system is in pipeline  in the province which will ensure not only financial and administrative powers but also will provide progress at grass root level. He said that in Punjab 56 companies were full of corruption and mal practices and their revamping has been started to put them on the right track. Senior Minister listened the proposals given by the senior journalists and assured that in the light of that strategy would be evolved. He also assured his personal interest in solving the problems of the media industry and provides them relief as much as possible.

President APNS Sarmad Ali told that Pakistani media facing the record crisis and dollar price has also played role in this regard. He said that if Government did not sort out of the box solution of these problems then there would be no option left for newspapers on strong footings. Mehtab Khan, Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami, Khushnood Ali Khan, Rahmat Ali Razi, Naveed Chaudhary, Jamil Athar and senior journalists from other provinces also expressed their views and appealed the Senior Minister to personally intervene in the matter to provide immediate relief to the media industry.