ISLAMABAD, JUL 14 /DNA/ – The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has urged the federal government to implement the Prime Minister’s longstanding commitment to increase advertising rates for the print media, warning that the industry is grappling with severe economic challenges.

The demand was made during a high-level meeting between the APNS Executive Committee and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, held here on Tuesday. The delegation, led by APNS President Senator Sarmad Ali, presented a comprehensive charter of demands ranging from advertising policy reforms to taxation relief.

Key Developments:

• Digital Integration: Minister Tarar agreed in principle to incorporate the digital websites of newspapers into the federal government’s print advertising campaigns and directed officials to formalize the mechanism.
• Ad Rate Revision: APNS proposed that government advertising rates be delinked from the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) and frozen until a new rate-determination mechanism is developed. The Society also demanded that the authority to fix these rates be transferred from the Cabinet Division to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, aligning with policies for other media.
• Regulatory Reforms: The minister directed the Secretary Information to form a joint committee with APNS representatives to formulate a comprehensive policy framework. Discussions also covered the restructuring of the ABC and the Registrar’s office, with APNS calling for simplified registration rules in consultation with stakeholders.
• Cyber Crime Authority’s Role: In a significant legal contention, APNS strongly objected to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) taking action against newspaper content. The Society asserted that the NCCIA lacks jurisdiction over print and newspaper websites, maintaining that the Press Council of Pakistan is the sole competent statutory forum to handle such matters.
• Taxation Relief: The delegation raised issues regarding the taxation of newsprint, with the minister assuring that efforts would be made to resolve them at the earliest.

Overhaul of 1964 Policy: APNS pointed out that the current government advertising policy, largely based on a 1964 framework, requires a comprehensive review. The Society proposed empowering client departments to prepare media plans according to their communication objectives and target audiences.

The minister was accompanied by Federal Secretary for Information Ashfaq Khalil and Principal Information Officer Raisa Adil. The APNS delegation included senior media figures such as Mujib ur Rehman Shami (Daily Pakistan), Shahab Zuberi, Mohsin Bilal, and representatives from leading newspapers across the country.