Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture Attaullah Tarar said on Friday that the government was taking all possible steps for welfare of the media community.
Addressing a ceremony regarding launch of the health insurance scheme for the journalists, the minister said the government had been playing its due role for the welfare of journalists community and he had personally requested the prime minister to take more initiatives in that regard.
The minister requested the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) to give due rights of the media workers and journalists. He had spoken to the owners of media organizations in that regard, and it was his desire cheques pertaining to outstanding dues should be distributed among the journalists directly instead of through the Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE) platform.
He said after assuming charge as information minister, he ensured clearance of the outstanding dues of media organizations on priority.
He said former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had taken the initiative of health insurance scheme, and he was carrying forward it.
“Some 5,000 journalists will be provided medical cover in the first phase and 10,000 more in the second phase,” he added.
Rs 1 billion, the minister said, had been allocated for the project in the budget.
He said he had requested the Principal Information Officer to add those who died of unnatural causes, in the insurance package so that financial assistance should be provided to their families as well. Tarar said he had worked on the issue of providing federal grants to the media organizations and signed a summary in that regard.
