Advertising policy to be implemented after consultation with APNS, others: PIO

The Principal Information Officer (PIO), Muhammad Tahir Hassan has stated that the Ministry of Information has framed an Advertising Policy which will be implemented after consultation with the APNS and other stakeholders.

Muhammad Tahir Hassan, PIO explained the salient features of Draft Media Policy and asked the APNS to provide their suggestions and observations so that the Policy is finalized in consultation with the stakeholders. He also assured the Sindh Committee members that their concerns will be addressed to their satisfaction.

A meeting of Sindh Committee of the APNS was held at APNS House, Karachi presided over by its Chairman, Javed Mehr Shamsi wherein the PIO was invited as chief guest. The President, APNS, Hameed Haroon and the Secretary General, APNS, Sarmad Ali welcomed the PIO and briefed him on the concerns of the APNS on Centralized Advertising Policy.

They stated that the Policy was a continuation of different schemes of the past regimes to control the media. The Policy being implemented, has barred the sponsoring clients to select their media as per their requirements.

They further stated that such Policy has resulted in centralization of the decision making process of all ministries, departments and autonomous bodies, thus negated the independence of the sponsoring clients / departments.

They also noted with concern that the regional PID offices have been deprived of their role of recommendations. The members of the Sindh Committee also highlighted their concern over the Policy and stated that Sindh based publications are being completely ignored in the release of advertisements by the PID.-PR