LAHORE: A 35-member standing committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) has elected Jamil Athar, editor of daily Tijarat, president. Ilyas Shakir, editor Qaumi Akhbar, was elected secretary general, while, Qazi Asad Abid was elected senior vice-president for the year 2010-11.
The annual general meeting, presided by acting president of the council, Shaheen Qureshi, also elected Javaid Maher Shamsi joint secretary and Mushtaq Ahmed Qureshi secretary finance. The other elected office bearers include Waqar Yusaf Azeemi Sindh vice president, Ghulam Akbar Islamabad vice president, Mumtaz A Tahir Punjab vice president, Waseem Ahmed Balochistan vice president and Pir Safaid Shah Hamdard was elected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa vice president.
Around 20 members of the standing committee including Business Recorder, Jang Group, Dawn Group (Spider), Daily Kawish, Balochistan Times, Online, Daily Ibrat, Daily Pakistan, Qaumi Akhbar, Daily Ausaf, Daily Tijarat, Daily Din, Jidat, Diyanat, Al Akhbar, Pakistan Observer, Wahadat, Awam Quetta, Aftab Lahore and Paigham Faisalabad endorsed the decision. The meeting also elected a 35-member standing committee. The names of the members from Karachi are daily Jang, Millat, Aghaz, Diyanat, Bupar and Qaumi Akhbar.
From Lahore are Business Recorder, Daily Pakistan, Daily Tijarat, Daily Din, Daily Aftab and Insaaf. From Rawalpindi and Islamabad are Daily Ausaf, Al Akhbar and from Punjab excluding Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad include Business Report, Paigham and Siyadat. From Sindh excluding Karachi Ibrat and Kalim, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wahdat and Watan, from Balochistan Awam and Balochistan Times.
Similarly, on general seats daily Kawish, Jurat, Pakistan Observer, Saadat and On Line. While, from periodicals (general seats) Rohani Digest, Naey Ufaq, Jasoosi Digest and Dastak. Periodicals from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are monthly Nikhar, and from Sindh and Balochistan Nia Rukh. From Periodicals general category News and Views, Spider (Dawn group).
A large number of members of the standing committee walked out of the annual meeting after accusing the organisation’s outgoing president and secretary general, Khushnood Ali Khan and Aamir Mehmood respectively, of ignoring the rules for inducting new members and granting membership to 38 new members.
The newly-elected body of the CPNE has filed a contempt of court notice before the Islamabad civil judge against Khushnood Ali Khan and Aamir Mehmood for violating court’s order regarding the procedure for inducting fresh members before 12 hours of the elections.
