Loan scheme for journalists

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information and Public Relations, Shafi Jan, has said that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government firmly believes in free and responsible journalism and has placed the welfare of journalists among its top priorities.

He stated that the seed money of the endowment fund established for the welfare of journalists has been doubled to enable more journalists to benefit from it.

Shafi Jan further said that a special grant of Rs400 million has been approved for the payment of outstanding advertisement dues to newspapers, while an additional Rs400 million will be released in the upcoming budget. He clarified that the payment of these dues to newspapers is being made conditional upon the clearance of journalists' salaries and dues to ensure protection of their rights.

He added that the provincial government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, is also introducing an easy interest-free loan scheme for journalists.

He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony held at the National Press Club Islamabad in connection with World Press Freedom Day, organized by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists.

The Special Assistant said that the current federal government's attitude towards journalists is regrettable.