Chairman & CEO of Pakistan Observer, Mr Faisal Zahid Malik called on Caretaker Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Murtaza Solangi at his office here on Tuesday and discussed with him overall economic and political situation in the country, particularly the upcoming general elections in the country scheduled for Feb 8, 2024.
He also shared with the minister grievances of the newspaper industry, particularly the regional newspapers and requested him to address them at the earliest. Murtaza Solangi while commending the Pakistan Observer’s role for keeping the national interests supreme held that the freedom of expression and the independent media served as the fundamental requirement for a strong democratic system.
Our government believes in freedom of expression and in return we also expect from the media to play a responsible role in strengthening the democratic norms in the country, he said. Freedom of expression, he said, was a fundamental right that couldn’t be denied under any circumstance. Journalists have always played an important role in the development and stability of the country, he said.
Murtaza Solangi said media needed to play an unbiased role in providing evidence-based authentic information to public. He said the government was trying to provide training and technical assistance to journalists.
Regarding media’s importance in coverage of elections, the interim minister said media played the a role of a bridge between the contesting candidates and the voters. It shapes public opinion and guides them to use their right of vote judiciously, he said. He promised to look into the problems being faced by the regional newspapers and resolve them asap.
The CEO of Pakistan Observer congratulated the interim government on bringing some relief to the inflation-hit masses by reducing the petroleum prices by Rs8/litre. The caretaker government is being run by a team of experts on economy, IT, energy, Science & Technology, education, health, media, tourism and foreign policy, etc. This is the best team the country has seen in decades and I must compliment you and your colleagues in the federal cabinet for giving the best results in the past six months, said Mr Malik.
Mr Faisal Malik also appreciated the caretaker government’s resolve to hold free, fair, timely and transparent elections in the country saying the government’s preparedness in this regard seems quite up-to-the mark and there is no doubt that it would miss the final date i.e. Feb 8, 2024. He also briefed the information minister about Pakistan Observer’s contributions for the sake of a stronger, more prosperous and peaceful Pakistan.
At the end of the meeting, Caretaker Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi presented a coffee table book reflecting the rich art, culture and heritage of Pakistan to Chairman & CEO of Pakistan Observer Mr Faisal Zahid Malik.