On December 20, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said that the Dawn Media Group had received about Rs 860 million in advertising revenue from the federal and various provincial governments during the past 13 months.

Speaking to the media, he described the figure as a matter of record and stated that full details could be provided. The minister addressed the broader distribution of state-funded advertisements and said that while some outlets received more than others, media organisations were expected to prioritise corporate governance and maintain financial independence.

He said it was not feasible for any media group to rely solely on government advertising and emphasised the need for sustainable business models. Tarar noted that despite receiving Rs 860 million in government advertisements over the stated period, the Dawn Media Group had undertaken staff layoffs, which he described as an internal matter of the organisation.

He also said there was no complete ban on government advertising for the media group, adding that several campaigns involving the organisation were still active.