Governor Kundi Stresses Press Freedom at CPNE Standing Committee Meeting

PESHAWAR: The standing committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) met in Peshawar under the chairmanship of its president, Kazim Khan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi attended the meeting as a special guest and addressed newspaper and magazine editors.

Governor’s address

Governor Faisal Karim Kundi said the importance of responsible journalism remains undiminished today. Newspapers play a key role in shaping public opinion and highlighting problems. Newspapers should have the independent opportunity to bring facts to light and to hold others to account.

He said the government was working to foster an environment in which journalists can work independently and with dignity. Journalism and journalists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have made unmatched sacrifices, he said, and it was wrong to confine the province’s identity to its problems. “We want a changing, progressive and strong Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.

The governor welcomed positive proposals on the economic sustainability of newspapers and said issues facing newspapers, including delayed payments of their dues, would be resolved.

The meeting gave detailed consideration to the problems facing the media, the obstacles in the way of press freedom, and the crisis caused by unusually long delays in the payment of advertisement dues to newspapers.

Editors’ views and demands

CPNE president Kazim Khan said journalism is a beautiful form of resistance, but regrettably it is increasingly taking the form of accommodation. Voices should be raised against systems of oppression. CPNE should also speak on human rights, and steps are needed for the welfare of journalists.

He demanded an end to the forced dismissal of journalists by media houses, and that working journalists be paid their dues regularly every month. He informed attendees of the federal information minister’s tweet on the matter and fully backed the position “this will not be allowed to continue” regarding the financial difficulties of working journalists.

Anwar Sajidi, vice president for Balochistan, said newspapers across the country face problems. Press freedom is restricted in Balochistan, freedom of expression is banned, and the media is on a ventilator, he said. He expressed surprise that the media was being digitised and advertisements given in areas without electricity. Reporting confined within a narrow frame, he added, was causing the media to lose its usefulness.

Tahir Farooq, chairman of the CPNE Khyber Pakhtunkhwa committee, said the situation regarding the payment of advertisement dues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been dismal. Following a Peshawar High Court ruling, CPNE Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, through hard campaigning and teamwork, secured approval of Rs800 million from the provincial cabinet, of which the first instalment of Rs400 million has been received by newspapers.

Sardar Naeem, chief editor of the Peshawar daily Qaid, and Ashraf Dar, chief editor of the daily Awam-ul-Nas, described the recovery of dues as the result of CPNE’s efforts.

The meeting praised the services and efforts of young lawyer Ahsan Masood Advocate, who pursued CPNE’s dues case.

Fateha was offered for the forgiveness of deceased CPNE members, including Ali Nawaz Gilani and the elder brother of Faqir Manthar Mangrio, chief editor of the Hyderabad daily Mehran.

Attendees included senior vice president Ayaz Khan, secretary general Ghulam Nabi Chandio, deputy secretary general Tanveer Shaukat, finance secretary Arif Baloch, information secretary Manzah Siham, vice presidents Shakeel Turabi and Tanveer Siddiqui, joint secretaries Yahya Sadozai and Maqsood Yousufi, members Abdul Khaliq Ali, Syed Intizar Hussain Zanjani, Waqas Tariq, Mahmood Alam Khalid, Sher Muhammad Khawar, Shahzad Amin, Aslam Mian, Hassan Naseer, Irfan Athar, Abdul Samee Mangrio, Sardar Muhammad Siraj, Fazal Haq, Masood Khan, Mumtaz Sadiq, Abdul Salam Bhatt, Dr Zubair and Rafi Niazi, along with editors from across the country. Editors from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended as observers.