PM's aide says will soon clear Rs 500m liabilities of print media by Dec end

ISLAMABAD - Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Media Affairs, Iftikhar Durrani announced on Monday that the incumbent regime would clear liabilities worth Rs 500 million to the print media by December 31st saying, the media would prosper during the rule of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

Addressing a gathering of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Durrani clarified that Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to uplift media and any propaganda in this regard is unfounded.

'The prime minister has not passed any instruction regarding advertisements to media, however, has only stressed transparency in the process,' said Durrani.

The participants - including President Hameed Haroon, Secretary General Sarmad Ali and PTI's media adviser Aneela Khawaja - were informed that the policy of abolition of regulatory duty on import of newsprint would be executed in a day or so.

Durani highlighted that Prime Minister Imran Khan has admitted the role of media in his rise to power multiple times and he desires an independent, autonomous and progressive media in the country.

He clarified that as far as the fresh advertisement policy is concerned, it was just a draft proposal for which the input of APNS and other stakeholders would be taken on board.

The PM's assistant observed that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf believes in Right to Information (RTI) and its governance principle is based on justice and goodwill.

'PTI has assumed power for the first time and we are busy in comprehending state affairs and dealing a politically-marred bureaucracy in place for four decades,' he asserted.

Durrani assured that the incumbent regime would take media on board and Prime Minister Imran Khan neither believes in victimisation nor any policy to gag media has been formulated.

'Every sector in Pakistan has to grow and media too will thrive during the stint of PTI,' Durrani stressed.