Balochistan CM vows to resolve newspaper industry issues

Says government will welcome criticism from media and take it in a positive manner

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has vowed to resolve the issue of 15 per cent sales tax levied on newspaper revenue in order to facilitate journalists.

Talking to newspaper editors at the CM Secretariat on Sunday, he said that his government would resolve all issues pertaining to the newspaper industry. He praised the role of media, mainly the print media, in highlighting the issues and problems of the people with a positive note that helped the government to solve most of the pressing problems.

The chief minister said that even though his government had limited constitutional period to perform its duties, it would make efforts to solve the most pressing problems of the people. Bizenjo said that government would welcome constructive criticism from the media and it would be taken in a positive spirit. Earlier, Editors’ Council of Balochistan Newspapers President Anwar Sajidi informed the CM about the problems of the newspaper industry. The main issue was the recently imposed sales tax on revenue from the provincial government. Sajidi specifically suggested an increase in the budget of display advertisement matching the development work being undertaken by the government.

The chief minister issued instructions to the concerned authorities to resolve the main issues. Former Balochistan chief minister Jan Mohammad Jamali was present on the occasion and helped Bizenjo in the discussion with the newspaper editors for over an hour. Secretary Information Tayyab Lehri and Public Relations Director General Shahzada Farhat Ahmedzai represented the information department while the CM Secretariat staff, mainly Principal Secretary Hafiz Abdul Basit, was also present.

Earlier, he received various delegations from Awaran and Khuzdar and discussed with them the issues pertaining to the problems of the people. The chief minister said that his doors were open for the visitors from remote parts of the province as his “government is committed to solving basic problems of the people”. He said he was committed to provide better education and health facilities to all the districts of Balochistan and instructions to all the deputy commissioners in this regard were issued.

The delegates from remote areas congratulated him on his election as the chief minister. He also met former caretaker chief minister Naseer Mengal and discussed issues pertaining to mutual interest. Mengal extended full support to the government headed by Bizenjo. PkMAP delegation: Meanwhile, the chief minister also received a delegation from the Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) headed by Rahim Ziaratwal. The other members of the delegation included Dr Hamid Achakzai, Abdul Majeed Achakzai, Sardar Mustafa Tareen, Obaidullah Babat and Nasrullah Zehray. According to an official announcement, they discussed the issues of law and order, development schemes and other issues of mutual interest.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2018.