LAHORE, Sept 29: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has authorized its president, Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, to nominate members to the Press Council in consultation with the CPNE “as and when the issues pending with the federal government, including the Seventh Wage Board Award and amendments in press laws, are settled”.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the APNS executive committee in Lahore on Wednesday, according to a press release.

The committee expressed its satisfaction over the ongoing talks with the joint parliamentary committee headed by Ch Shujaat Hussain.

It was informed that the Punjab government had failed to honour assurances given by the chief minister to clear the dues of member publi-cations related to special supplements pending for the last 10 years.

It noted with concern that no action had been taken to settle the dues and that the Punjab government had instead banned special supplements of provincial departments, which had resulted in a financial crunch for smaller and regional publications in Punjab.