KARACHI, May 18: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has urged the federal government to incorporate its proposals into the forthcoming budget to what it says shield the newspaper industry from the effects of economic meltdown and financial crunch.

A press release issued on Friday said the executive committee of the APNS discussed the problems faced by the industry at a recent meeting and adopted a resolution calling upon the government to incorporate into the next budget its proposals relating to various taxes, especially the general sales tax on imported inputs, withholding of sales tax from invoices of registered suppliers, exemption of minimum tax under section 113 of the Income Tax Ordinance, Collection of Tax and Imports, etc.

According to the press release, the committee requested the government to increase the publicity budgets of government departments in line with the proposed enhancement of 40 per cent announced earlier this year. It said the government departments and ministries should have separate budgets for print and electronic media organisations.

The committee also requested the government to clear the dues against ads of devolved ministries as assured by the prime minister in previous meetings.