ISLAMABAD, July 25: A joint delegation of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation met minister for information and media development, Nisar A. Memon, here on Thursday.

The minister was joined by Information Secretary Syed Anwar Mehmood, the director-general of internal publicity, Fazalur Rehman, and Principal Information Officer M. Akram Shaheedi.

The minister told the delegation that the government was keen to see that there is a congenial environment where all the issues faced by the various stakeholders i.e the publishers, journalists and the government are resolved in an amicable manner.

The minister briefed the delegation about his meeting with the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) on Wednesday.

The idea of the forum was mooted by the minister that there is a need for all the three stakeholders to discuss issues being faced by the industry employees towards understanding and reconciliation.

It was agreed that there will be a meeting which the minister will organise and will invite the leadership of APNS/CPNE next week so that all issues could be discussed threadbare towards their resolution.

The minister also assured the PFUJ-APNEC team that issues faced by newspaper employees will be discussed, including payment of salaries and various employment-related issues.

The minister called upon the leadership of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and the APNEC that in view

of the government’s contention and process of discussion already initiated by the information secretary yesterday and followed by the minister, there is no need to continue with their hunger strike and urged them to call it off.—APP