ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) made a firm pledge not to resort to coercion or pressure tactics against media, and it pursued the policy religiously during the last five years.
While speaking as chief guest at the awards distribution ceremony of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) in Islamabad, the prime minister said the PML-N government had lived up to its commitment not to interfere in freedom of expression or working of media.
The prime minister said in the past, Intelligence Bureau (IB) secret funds billions of rupees had been spent annually but the present government did not spend even a rupee from the secret fund for any purpose.
Khaqan Abbasi said criticism apart; it was also responsibility of media to project achievements of the government and measures aimed at welfare of the masses. He said such policies and steps should have also got projection through positive and objective news reports besides advertisements.
The prime minister said Pakistan was perhaps the only Country of the World where ministers worked in the day and defended their actions during talks shows in the evening.
