Islamabad: (Parliament Times) Irked over the skyrocketing prices of paper the Print Media industry owners have made a passionate appeal to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Maryam Aurangzaib to take effective cognizance of the undue price-hike and ensure the provision of paper to struggling print media industry at affordable rates.
Terming the sudden and unanticipated price hike as a severe blow to media industry they said that the non availability of Kondopoga paper, which was imported from Russia for the printing purposes, has further intensified the problems faced by the people associated with print media industry. They said that this non-availability of paper in the market was now being exploited by stockists.
Taking undue advantage of the situation they said that the stockists have now started selling paper in the market at higher prices. The Kondopoga paper which was available in the market at 70 rupee per Kg is now being sold at Rs.115/KG. They said that over the past three months there has been 45% increase in the prices. Earlier, the paper roll used for News paper printing was sold at Rs. 25000 and now the same roll was now being sold at Rs. 45000. In lieu of the recent price hike, the Print Media industry owners have appealed the PM, CJP and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting to take notice of the matter and take necessary steps to rein in the stockists who were hell bent upon to impose their hegemony over paper market.