KARACHI: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has condemned the implementation of the centralised advertising policy of the federal government.

A meeting of the APNS’s Federal Capital Committee (FCC) held in Islamabad on Wednesday, presided over by chairman Mohsin Bilal, stated that the system adopted by the Press Information Department would ruin the newspaper industry.

The FCC through a unanimous resolution said that the policy would cause bankruptcy of print media houses and acute financial problems, especially for medium and small size publications.

The FFC members urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to immediately suspend the implementation of the centralised advertising policy and advise the information ministry to hold meaningful consultation with the APNS and other stakeholders for revision of the policy.

Waseem Ahmed from daily Awam, Quetta, Gauhar Zahid Malik from Pakistan Observer, Syed Amjad Ali from Jang, Tahir Mughal from Nawa-e-Pak, Ansar Bhatti from monthly Centre Line and Rukhsana Saulat Saleemi from weekly Nikhar attended the meeting, according to an APNS statement.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2020