Lahore: A delegation of leading journalists included Pakistan Federal Union of Journalist (PFUJ) President Rana Azeem, Secretary General G. M. Jamali, office bearers of PUJ. EMRA and APNEC called on Federal Minister for Information Minister Fawad Ch here on Sunday.
According to the details, the journalists who called on Information Minister include senior news analyst Salman Ghani, Habib Akram, Senior Anchorperson Imran Khan, Osama Tayyab, Senior Vice Chairman APNEC Naeem Mustafa, President PUJ Shahzad Hussain Butt, General Secretary Ashraf Majeed, President EMRA Asif Butt, Naib Sadar PUJ Mina Shahid Nadeem, Aamir Sohail, Joint Secetary Adnan Lodhi, Former President PUJ Hafiz Abdul Wadood, Muhammad Farooq Johri, Finance Secretary Shahid Ch, Noor Hussan Rana, Leader of Producer association Qaiser Sharif.
Secretary General PFUJ G. M. Jamali has presented a memorandum of grievances with regard to the journalists’ issues. President PFUJ Rana Muhammad Azeem said that at the moment, the journalist’s community is suffering from multi dimensional problems and it has pinned its hope on the incumbent government.
Rana Azeem said that journalists have much expectation from Information Minister like you to address their grievances. He reiterated that you will play your due role to solve the problems on priority basis.
The leader of the PFUJ has highlighted the issues of removal of journalists from the media institutions, wage board, empowering the judge of ITNE, enlisting electronic Media journalists in wage award, formulating journalist Training Academy in all four provinces and Health and Life Insurance for the journalists. On this Information minister said that that Media University will be established in collaboration with Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, PTV and Information Ministry. Fawad Chaudhry said the PTI government has eliminated censorship on the official media.
He said the government is committed to curb monopoly in advertisement and it will formulate an independent transparent policy for this process. The Minister said that government is going to issue health insurance card to the journalists’ fraternity with a slab of five and a half lakh on the pattern of KPK.
He said that Imran Khan led PTI government would solve the issues of journalists with the close cooperation of PFUJ. “Govt. is acting upon a comprehensive strategy to further strengthen the departments” he added. Fawad Ch. said that Pakistan Media University will be established in Islamabad for the promotion of art, language and culture. On this occasion, President PUJ Shezad Butt invited the Minister to his office and assured him of fullest cooperation as far as the assistance of journalists union is concerned.
