PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Advisor Barrister Dr. Muhammad Ali Saif announced that the PTI would no longer wait for No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to hold public gatherings.
Speaking at a meeting of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE), Dr. Saif asserted that protest is their democratic right and that the PTI will not back down from this right.
The CPNE meeting, chaired by President Irshad Ahmed Arif, focused on pressing issues, including the alarming state of press freedom in Balochistan and the non-payment of government advertisements in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Information Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Arshad Khan also attended the meeting.
Dr. Saif reiterated the provincial government’s commitment to upholding press freedom and democracy. “We support the freedom of the press and the struggle for democracy and the supremacy of the constitution. Despite our efforts, we face opposition and obstacles, particularly in obtaining No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for public gatherings,” he remarked.
Regarding the long-standing issue of delayed advertisement payments to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa newspapers, Dr. Saif expressed regret over the persistent issue, despite assurances made earlier. He explained the delay was due to economic constraints and noted that the provincial government is heavily indebted to the federal government, which, in turn, owes the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He further informed the audience that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and the Information Secretary were actively working to address the payment issues to the newspapers.
Secretary Arshad Khan acknowledged the issue of delayed advertisement payments and informed the CPNE that a committee has been formed to review and resolve these payments. He attributed part of the problem to the involvement of now-defunct departments such as the District Council in the Local Government Department, which had been responsible for advertisements. To address the issue more effectively, the Information Department has appointed a dedicated Recovery Director. Khan assured that the department would swiftly process claims if newspapers and journals present their cases through the CPNE.
CPNE President Irshad Ahmed Arif strongly condemned the attacks on press freedom in Balochistan and criticized the withholding of government advertisements due to personal disagreements. He stated, “Threatening journalists or withholding government advertisements and payments as a form of coercion is an attack on press freedom.” He urged the federal and provincial governments not to intimidate journalists, warning that unnecessary delays in payment or advertisement withdrawal undermines the constitutional right to freedom of the press.
During the meeting, the CPNE’s Standing Committee passed a resolution demanding the restoration of democratic values and press freedom in Balochistan. They also called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to immediately settle the outstanding dues to newspapers and journals.
In his remarks, General Secretary Aijaz ul Haq revealed that a meeting with the Chief Minister of Balochistan had been proposed to discuss the deteriorating state of press freedom in the province. Senior Vice President Anwar Sajidi shared his personal experience of receiving threats due to fearless reporting in his newspaper, “Daily Intikhab.”
Kazim Khan, another senior member, viewed such threats as a badge of honor for journalists and encouraged continued courage in the face of adversity. “Receiving threats is a matter of pride for journalists; we must continue our journey,” he said.
Dr. Jabbar Khattak expressed concerns about the worsening state of press freedom in Balochistan, urging the CPNE to take serious action. He said, “The situation is deteriorating day by day.”
Amir Mahmood, Chairman of the Sindh Committee, provided updates on the committee’s efforts to address press freedom issues. He mentioned that two meetings were held, one attended by Federal Secretary Information Ambreen Jan, who assured the resolution of CPNE members’ concerns. In the second meeting, Sindh Information Minister Nadeem ur Rehman listened to the problems faced by Sindh’s newspapers and journals and directed the Information Secretary to resolve the issues.
Ayaz Khan, President of the Punjab Committee, informed the attendees that his committee had also held a meeting, which was attended by DGPR Punjab Dr. Faisal Shahenshah. Shahenshah assured that pressing issues would be resolved, but no progress has been made since his recent replacement.
Tahir Farooq, Chairman of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Committee, said that during their June meeting with Secretary Arshad Khan, they demanded payment of long-standing dues to newspapers and journals, but the issue remains unresolved.
Arif Baloch, Joint Secretary of Balochistan, reported a 70 percent increase in the print media budget for Balochistan this year, with all newspaper dues paid up to date.
Chairman Yahya Sadozai of the Islamabad Committee could not attend the meeting due to being abroad, so no update on the Rawalpindi/Islamabad Committee’s progress was provided.
CPNE Finance Secretary and Chairman of the Endowment Fund Management Committee, Syed Hamid Hussain Abidi, presented a detailed report on the committee’s meeting, outlining the fund’s specifics and making recommendations for its future use.
Abdul Khaliq Ali suggested that the proceedings of the CPNE Standing Committee meeting should be published on the council’s website. Shakeel Turabi proposed organizing a seminar on press freedom using a Zoom link for wider participation.
Other attendees of the meeting included Deputy Secretary-General Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Information Secretary Zia Tanoli, Joint Secretary Sindh Munazzah Siham, Joint Secretary Punjab Waqas Tariq, Vice President Punjab Babar Nizami, and senior members such as Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Maqsood Yousufi, and Sher Muhammad.
Also in attendance were Joint Secretary Rawalpindi/Islamabad Rafay Niazi, Tazeen Akhtar, Masood Khan, Sajjad Abbasi, Mumtaz Ahmed Sadiq, Mian Aslam, Fazal Haq, Salman Khan, Bashir Ahmed, Abdul Sami, Shehzad Amin, Dr. Zubair Mehmood, Amir Shehzad Jadoon, and Tassawar Shah.
