On July 29, the Punjab government announced a policy decision to link official payments to media outlets with the timely disbursement of salaries to their employees, aiming to address longstanding concerns of media workers.

The announcement came during the second meeting of the Special Committee on issues faced by journalists, chaired by Secretary Information Punjab Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani, on the directives of Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari. Director General Public Relations (DGPR) Punjab Ghulam Saghir Shahid and senior representatives from various media bodies participated in the session.

According to the policy, disbursement of government advertisements to both electronic and print media will now be contingent upon proof of salary payments to media staff. The DGPR has been empowered to withhold payments from outlets found to be defaulting. All media organisations will be required to submit monthly salary disbursement certificates to the DGPR as part of compliance procedures.

Additionally, the committee approved a reduction in the required professional experience for press accreditation cards, decreasing it from 10 years to 5 years. This decision is expected to facilitate working journalists across the province.

During the meeting, media representatives expressed unanimous support for the DGPR’s ongoing campaign to eliminate dummy publications, underscoring a collective commitment to promoting responsible journalism.

Attendees included Sarmad Ali, President of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS); Kazim Khan, President of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE); Hafiz Tariq Mahmood, Secretary General of the Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND); Ayaz Khan, Senior Vice President of CPNE; and APNS members Noorullah and Mohsin Mumtaz.