F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Caretaker Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, has instructed the acceleration of the application processing for journalists facing financial difficulties under the Journalist Welfare Endowment Fund Rules.
During a meeting of the Journalists Endowment Welfare Fund Committee at the Civil Secretariat, he emphasized the need for comprehensive submissions to the committee to ensure timely assistance for journalists.
The meeting, attended by officials including Secretary Information and Public Relations Syed Jabbar Shah, Director General Information and Public Relations Muhammad Imran Khan, Director Public Relations Liaquat Amin, Press Registrar Ansarullah Khilji and committee members Budget Officer Finance Department Muhammad Ayub, President Press Club Peshawar Arshad Aziz Malik, President Mardan Press Club Bakht Muhammad discussed ongoing work on amendments to the fund rules. Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel urged expediting the amendments, particularly focusing on improving unemployment and pension allowances to better support senior journalists facing financial challenges.
The information minister stressed the importance of regular fund-related meetings to avoid delays in processing financial assistance requests. This marked the second committee meeting chaired by Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah Kakakhel, where applications from journalists seeking financial support were presented and approved based on their completeness.
Addressing the gathering, the information minister acknowledged the challenging circumstances in which journalists carry out their duties, highlighting their crucial role in ensuring transparency in government affairs and communicating government initiatives to the public. He underscored the responsibility to promptly address the financial needs of journalists facing illness or hardship during their professional duties in accordance with the fund rules.
