On March 31, the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) held its annual general meeting at APNS House in Karachi, where Senator Sarmad Ali was unanimously re-elected as President, alongside Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani as Senior Vice President. Other key positions filled include Shahab Zuberi as Vice President, Muhammad Athar Kazi as Secretary General, Mohsin Bilal as Joint Secretary, and Naveed Kashif as Finance Secretary.
Under the chairmanship of Senator Sarmad Ali, the council approved the Executive Committee’s report for the year 2025-2026 and the Society’s annual accounts for 2025.
Concerns were raised, through a resolution, regarding the severe financial challenges facing the print media industry, attributed to the current geopolitical and economic climate. The AGM highlighted that many newspapers are on the brink of collapse and emphasized the need for governmental support.
A resolution passed during the AGM called on the federal government to implement previously approved measures by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to increase government advertisement rates. Additionally, the APNS urged both federal and provincial governments to settle long-standing dues, increase advertisement allocations, and ensure a specific share for print media in the advertising budget to aid the struggling industry.
The assembly also addressed the 17-month ban on government advertisements to Dawn Media, labeling it as unjust and unfair. The ban has placed Dawn Media in a precarious financial position, with the APNS expressing unanimous solidarity with the group.
The election of the new Executive Committee for 2026-27 was conducted by an Election Commission led by Mumtaz Ahmed Phulpoto, with Ali Bin Younus and Nasir Dad Baloch as members. Publications such as Daily Aghaz, Daily Business Recorder, and Daily Dawn were among those elected unopposed to the committee.
Prominent figures, including the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and the Chairman of the Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, extended their congratulations to the newly elected officials.
They expressed hope that the new leadership would effectively address the challenges faced by the newspaper industry and reiterated their commitment to supporting press freedom and the media’s role in a democratic society.
