CPNE elects office-bearers for year 2023-24

Irshad Arif elected president, Ejazul Haq secretary general

The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) on Saturday elected its office-bearers for the year 2023-24.

In the annual elections, Irshad Arif (Daily 92 News Lahore) was elected as president, Anwar Sajidi (Daily Intekhab Karachi) senior vice president and Ejazul Haq (Daily Express Karachi) as the secretary general.

Hamid Hussain Abidi (Daily Amn Karachi) was elected as deputy secretary general, Amir Mehmood (Kiran Group Karachi) Sindh vice president, Yousaf Nizami (Pakistan Today Lahore) Punjab vice president, Tahir Farooqi (Daily Ittehad Peshawar) K-P vice president, Sardar Khan Niazi (Naya Rukh-Pakistan Group of Newspapers) Islamabad vice president and Arif Baloch (Balochistan Times Quetta) as Balochistan vice president, Ghulam Nabi Chandio (Daily Pak Karachi) as finance secretary and Zubair Mehmood (Daily Soorat-e-Hal Faisalabad) as information secretary.

Other office-bearers who have been elected include Maqsood Yousufi (Daily Nai Baat Karachi) as Sindh joint secretary, Zia Tanoli (Daily Final News Lahore) Punjab joint secretary, Mumtaz Sadiq (Daily Azadi Swat) as K-P joint secretary, Yahya Sadozai (Daily Lead Pakistan Islamabad) Islamabad joint secretary and Munir Baloch (Daily Nawa-e-Watan Quetta) as Balochistan joint secretary.

Among others are Qazi Asad Abid (Monthly Ibrat Magazine Hyderabad), Ikram Sehgal (Monthly Defence Journal Karachi), Sher Muhammad Khuhawar (Daily Appeal Karachi), Abdul Khaliq Ali (Online News Agency), Ahmad Shafiq (Monthly Hospitality Plus Lahore), Waqas Tariq (Daily Jehan Numa Lahore), Zulfiqar Rahat (Hot Line Lahore), Shehzad Amin (Daily Gulf News Lahore), M Siraj (Daily Jehan Pakistan Lahore), Kazim Khan (Daily Times Lahore), Nadeem Basra (Nawa-i-Waqt Lahore), Adnan Zafar (Daily Aaj Peshawar), Akmal Chohan (Daily Wafa Bahawalpur), Ayaz Ali Memon (Daily Nijat Sukkur), Faqir Manthar Mangrio (Daily Mehran Hyderabad), Ali Arbaz Khan (Daily Multan Nama Multan), Tanveer Shaukat (Daily Ghareeb Faisalabad), Fazlul Haq (Daily Times Peshawar), Tazeen Akhtar (Daily Azkaar Islamabad), Khalilur Rehman (Daily Islam Islamabad), Aitzaz Hussain Shah (Daily Maidan Peshawar), Ali Ahmad Dhillon (Daily Leader Lahore), Mahmood Alam Khalid (Monthly Farozaan Karachi), Ali Hamza Afghan (Weekly Takbeer Karachi) and Owaiz Razi (Weekly Azm Lahore) while CPNE newly elected president nominated Munazza Seham (Monthly Dosheeza Karachi) on the only women’s seat.

Speaking on the occasion, former CPNE president Kazim Khan said that the body had struggled for the promotion of freedom of expression in the country and would continue to do so.

Newly elected president Arif noted that protection of freedom of expression and journalism had been their motto since day one, adding that the steps taken by Kazim were a source of guidance for him, which had “infused a new courage in him”.

He vowed to continue those initiatives with the support of the CPNE newly elected standing committee members.
President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif felicitated the newly elected members of the CPNE.

“I hope the new CPNE officials will play their role in media freedom, promotion of democratic values and human rights, and solution of social and economic problems in Pakistan,” the president said.

In his message, PM Shehbaz conveyed his heartfelt congratulation to Irshad Arif, Anwar Sajidi, and Ejazul Haq.

"I pray for the newly elected officials to excel in their responsibilities and live up to the trust of their community," he said.

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb also congratulated the newly elected CPNE members.