K-P’s new printing policy leave thousands jobless

K-P printing and stationary department official says PTI’s printing policy is against the spirit of the law

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Frontier Printing and Publishers Association has criticised the provincial government’s new printing policy which makes around 40,000 skilled workers jobless.

The association’s provincial president, Zafar Khattak said to The Express Tribune, “In previous governments, the tender policy was open and contracts were given to local business units. However, the PTI government has introduced a new policy and 80% of the contracts have been given to Punjab-based printing presses.”

An official, requesting anonymity, said, “On the one hand, the provincial government claims to have restarted industrial units across the province, but on the other, it started an anti-printing press policy, rendering hundreds of labourers jobless.”

He said the political tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan was a critical blow to the industry. Customers from Afghnistan, Tajikistan and Iran previously visited Mohalla Jhangi in Peshawar and got their books and other materials printed there.



However, most of the foreign customers diverted their attention to India where an identical market is working with full support from the government and a special business visa policy.



When contacted, a K-P printing and stationary department official said PTI’s printing policy is against the spirit of the law. He said none of the government departments in the province are allowed to print their material in a private capacity or in a different province.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2016.