Sindh govt wants to launch health and life insurance facilities to journalists, Sharjeel

Minister assures KUJ delegation to solve journalists’ problems

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the Sindh government wanted to launch a scheme to provide health and life insurance facilities to journalists, for which he would submit proposals to the Sindh Cabinet.

He said he is aware of the problems faced by journalists across Sindh and wanted to solve their problems on priority basis.

The Minister said that the Sindh government wanted to launch a scheme to provide health and life insurance facilities to journalists, for which he would submit proposals to the Sindh Cabinet.

Sharjeel Memon further said that grants given to journalist organizations and press clubs across Sindh should be spent for the welfare of journalists.

He expressed these views during a visit of a joint delegation of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ).

The KUJ delegation was led by KUJ President Ijaz Ahmed and General Secretary Aajiz Jamali. Also present at this meeting were PFUJ President GM Jamali, Vice President Saeed Jan Baloch, Junaid Khanzada, Assistant Secretary-General Hamid Sheikh, KUJ Executive members Nasir Sharif, Lubna Jerar, Talha Hashmi, Rafiq Baloch.

The Hyderabad Union of Journalists delegation was led by Aftab Memon.

Information Secretary Abdul Rashid Solangi. Secretary Information Muhammad Saleem Khan, Director Mohammad Saleem Khan, and other officials of the Department of Information were also present.

The two delegations of journalist organizations congratulated Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on once again heading the Sindh Information Ministry and presented a bouquet on this occasion. The journalist leaders had a detailed discussion with the Information Minister on various problems faced by journalists across Sindh. The delegation spoke about the change in status of photographers to photojournalists in the Sindh Journalists Protection Bill, 2021.

The Minister stressed the importance of the role of the journalist community in the democratic struggle in Pakistan. He assured them that the bill will be amended to give photojournalist organizations complete representation.

He added that it is important that journalists strengthen their unity and all journalistic organizations should work towards achieving this so they can play their role in the promotion of democracy in the country.

The KUJ leaders said that it was clear that the PPP government in Sindh had played an important role in solving the problems of journalists at all levels. The previous Federal Government had announced health cards for journalists, but this has yet to be implemented.

They added that the Sindh government should come up with a plan to provide medical treatment and life insurance to the journalists, as these are two major issues in today’s world. In any case, the government has a primary responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens and to provide medical care.

Minister Memon said that he has been the Information Minister before and he is completely aware of the problems faced by journalists. He added he will try to solve as many problems as possible on top priority, in the shortest time.