National Press Trust faces closure or reform questions in Senate

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting questioned the future of the National Press Trust after being told that the newspapers the trust was created to run have shut down and the trust is now mainly managing its properties and rental income.

The committee, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Sarmad Ali, questioned whether the National Press Trust should continue in its present form, be given a new purpose or be closed if its original objective no longer exists.

Members were told that newspapers including Pakistan Times, Mashriq, Imroze and Morning News are no longer being published by the trust. The committee therefore questioned the need for an institution whose original newspaper related role has largely ended.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s official information on NPT says its newspapers and companies were later disinvested or privatized and that the trust does not receive a government budget.

The committee also questioned how NPT properties were being managed and whether past decisions involving valuable commercial land and buildings were properly approved.

The committee was told that NPT has properties in different parts of the country, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi. Its Karachi holdings include about 30 acres spread across four properties, while other important properties include land in Sector F 8 Islamabad and the old Pakistan Times building, now being used by the Associated Press of Pakistan.

Members also raised questions about commercial spaces that had reportedly been given to occupants under the Pugree system, under which a large payment could provide long term possession of a shop or property. The committee questioned whether NPT had lost control over some of these valuable properties because of such arrangements.

The committee also asked questions about properties that had been sold in the past and whether previous NPT chairmen had proper approval before renting, changing or dealing with trust properties.

Chairman Sarmad Ali directed the acting NPT chairman to bring a complete report on all properties to the next meeting. The report is to include locations, rent being received, lease terms, maintenance costs, electricity payments and other charges.

The committee also directed that the handling of NPT properties by previous management should be investigated to determine whether all decisions were made according to the required rules.

Another major question before the committee was what should happen to NPT’s money and trust deed now that its original newspaper role has changed. The Law Ministry is to be called to the next meeting to give an opinion on whether the trust deed can be changed so its funds can be used for the welfare of media workers or whether the trust should be wound up.

The committee also discussed claims that dummy editions of former NPT newspapers had allegedly been printed in the past to qualify for government advertising.

The committee decided to visit NPT properties in Karachi to examine their condition and future use. The wider discussion comes as the government is also looking at NPT’s assets, finances and audit records and possible legal options for using its resources for media workers’ welfare.

The committee will take up the matter again after receiving the property details, legal opinion and investigation related information.