KARACHI, April 16: The caretaker federal Minister for Information, Arif Nizami, has approved a 10 per cent increase in government advertisements for newspapers.

Talking to members of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society during a visit to the APNS House here on Monday, Mr Nizami said the ministry was playing the role of a facilitator as it was facilitating the media in their A.B.C, release of advertisements, payments and in other ways.

The APNS members said it was honour for them to welcome a former office-bearer of the Society.

The APNS sought an increase in advertisement rates beside an increase in their quantum of ads by the government. They called for the regularisation of advertisement quota for electronic media and the Press, saying it would help the print media to sustain. They said that due to the high rate of advertisements on the electronic media, most of the advertising budget of the government departments had been diverted to the electronic media and the print media was suffering badly.

The APNS demands, presented by Masood Hamid, included an increase in advertisement rates, enhancement in quantum of advertisements, separate publicity budgets for the electronic and print media, implementation of quota for regional, metro-B and periodical publications and disbursement of dues against the devolved ministries.

Mr Nizami also held a meeting with members of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association.—APP