Delays in payments: APNS highlights financial difficulties of print media

KARACHI: A meeting of the Regional Press Committee of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Muhammad Humayun Gulzar, Chairman of the Committee. Senator Sarmad Ali, President APNS, Muhammad Athar Kazi, Secretary General, and Shahab Zuberi, Vice President, attended the meeting as special participants.

The members pointed out that newspapers are facing serious delays in receiving direct payments from clients, resulting in severe financial difficulties for the print media, particularly regional newspapers, due to the existing uncertain payment mechanism. They noted that substantial payments from various federal government departments have remained outstanding for a considerable period.

The members demanded that the policy of centralisation of government advertising be abolished and that the previous policy allowing client departments to recommend their preferred media outlets for publication be restored. They stated that such a measure would significantly increase the volume of advertisements for newspapers while also providing the Press Information Department (PID) with greater flexibility in the placement of advertisements of various government organisations in the media.

The Committee further urged that the regional offices of the Press Information Department in Karachi, Hyderabad, Quetta, Lahore, and Peshawar be empowered. The existing policy under which media recommendations made by these regional offices are altered at the central level should be withdrawn immediately.

The members also demanded that the procedure for the renewal of newspaper declarations and the transfer of declarations following the death of a publisher be simplified. They emphasised that unnecessary and cumbersome procedural requirements in this regard should be abolished. The Committee expressed profound grief over the demise of the sister of Munir Jillani, the son of Qazi Imtiaz, and the father of Noorullah Malik, and offered Fateha for the eternal peace of the departed souls.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026