950806

Papers given full

freedom by govt: Kharal

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Khalid Ahmed Khan Kharal Sunday said the present PPP government had allowed unprecedented press freedom in the country.

Addressing the launching of an Urdu evening newspapers from the capital, Kharal said that the journalism was never so independent as it was today. Nor have the advertisements been exploited as tool to influence papers, he said.

He said the best proof was that the PPP government had never issued any press advice or forced its opinion on the press.

"We have adopted a policy of no intervention in the working of newspapers," he emphasised.

He clarified on the occasion that the Ministry of Information was not controlling the advertisements to the newspapers, rather it was the discretion of the particular institution as to which newspapers they preferred.

Kharal however said that the ministry was allocating just 25 percent of the advertisements quota to the small newspapers.

"We have never used the ads as tools to politically pressuries the newspapers nor we ever will," he said categorically.

On the Karachi situation he said the government will not compromise on terrorism.

He said the government has already accepted some of the demands of the Altaf Group, one of which was the appointment of an Urdu speaking Sindh governor.

The other, he added, was the withdrawal of military from Karachi which was deployed by PPP's predecessors.

"Now the Altaf Group must condemn terrorism in Karachi and hand over all those involved in terrorist activites to the authorities."

He said if the Altaf Group did not take part in the 1993 provincial elections it was the decision of their high command and no one else should be held responsible.

"Those elections were held by a neutral caretaker government and PPP had nothing to do with them," he said.

He assured the newspapers owners that government was seriously examining the crisis faced by the newspaper industry after increase in duty on newsprint.

"We are reviewing the situation and would find a way out in the next few days," he assured.

The minister said the government wanted the newspapers to play their role in the strengthening of democratic institutions.

Chairman Senate Wasim Sajjad in his brief remarks appreciated the role newspapers play in highlighting the parliament proceedings.

It is on the basis of these reports, he added, that the parliamentarian raise adjournment motions.

"The only way the people can know about the performance of their representatives in the assembly is through newspapers. This way they are doing a great service to the nation."

He said newspapers can be the best tools to educate the masses and inculcate in them a respect for the institutions.

Abdul Qayyum Khan, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu Kashmir, said that the secret of success of great nations lies in their strengthening the institutions instead of personalities.

He regretted that politics in Pakistan was not being issue-oriented and was geared to settling personal scores. He said, we should try to inculcate the habit of reposing more trust in the institutions.

Democracy, he said, "asks for respecting the rights of others but here we use it to usurp their rights while constantly talking about democracy."

Referring to the situation on the Line of Control, Sardar Qayyum said, India has often repeated its claim over Azad Kashmir and presently it is far more vulnerable than Karachi.

He said, just 6,000 of freedom fighters in the Indian held Kashmir have stopped the onslaught of 600,000 Indian troops. It is they who are the barrier stopping Indians from running into Pakistan and onwards to the Gulf.

Sardar Qayyum warned that any action which could disrupt the functioning of the govenment in Azad Kashmir could have dangerous consequences.

"It is our impediment that we have to acccept and support whatever the federal government asks us to do and we even have to cover their weaknesses."

He appreciated the defence forces for standing bravely against a much larger opponent and said that it is only due to their dauntless courage that the Indians hesitate in storming the Azad Kashmir.

Faseih Iqbal, President Newspaper Editors Council of Pakistan was appreciative of the effort of Zahid Malik for launching the first ever Urdu evening newspaper from Islamabad.

He regretted the increase in the prices of newsprint and said that the government should take necessary steps to stop the rise, as they are fighting with the government in combating the menace of illiteracy in the country.

Tikka Khan, Secretary General, All Pakistan Akhbar Faroosh Federation said that Zahid Malik takes the paper as a mission and is committed to his profession.

Earlier the Editor-in-Chief Al-Jamhoor Zahid Malik said that this was the first venture from Islamabad after the success of this Al-Akbar, which "had become the second largest daily."

He said from August 14, an edition (of Al-Akbar) for United Arab Emirates would be launched.-APP