Pakistan Newspapers Society opposes newsprint GST

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has strongly opposed the imposition of 10% GST in the Federal Budget 2024-25, labeling it as “disastrous for the survival of the already crisis-ridden print media” and urging the government to maintain the exemption. APNS President Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani and Secretary Sarmad Ali expressed immediate concerns about the impact of the GST on the newspaper industry, citing increased production costs and the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee.

They highlighted that the newsprint and other materials used in newspapers are all imported, and the sharp decline in the value of the rupee has significantly raised the costs of production. The financial strain on print media has been further worsened by the non-payment of long outstanding dues by government bodies.

The APNS emphasized the importance of the print media as the fourth pillar of the state and called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to withdraw the GST on newsprint to support the industry’s vital role in providing access to reliable information amid widespread misinformation.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2024