KARACHI:TheAllPakistanNewspapersSociety (APNS) and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) have thanked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for deciding to clear outstanding bills, amounting to about Rs790 million, for the period 2008-12 payable to print media organisations by the federal information ministry, devolved ministries and federal government departments.

According to a press release, APNS President Hameed Haroon and CPNE President Mujib-urRehman Shami thanked the prime minister on behalf of their organisations and said his decision would go a long way in helping the newspapers andadvertising agencies solve the liquidity problem faced by them.

An APNS-CPNE delegation met Mr Sharif on June 17 and informed him that about Rs790 million was outstanding against various ministries and departments of the federal government, said the press release. The prime minister issued directives for immediate payment of the outstanding bills and also advised the information ministry to notify increase in government advertising rates, the press release said.

The APNS and CPNE office-bearers expressed the hope that the directives would be implemented without delay, it added.