Peshawar     -    Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Thursday said, “Media is the fourth pillar of the state and journalists are an integral part of the society. The role of positive journalism has always been prominent in establishing a peaceful and ideal society.”

The Chief Minister was talking to a delegation of the newly-elected cabinet members of Shangla Press Club that called on him and discussed matters related to the welfare of journalists as well as issues being faced by the journalist community of Shangla.

Provincial Minister Shaukat Ali Yousufzai, Secretary Information Zakaullah Khattak and other concerned officials were also present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister also administrated oath to the newly-elected cabinet of Shangla Press Club and announced a special grant of Rs5 million for the press club. The Chief Minister directed the Information Department to take steps to resolve the issues of Shangla and Bisham press clubs.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahmood Khan said that the provincial government fully believes in the freedom of press.

He said that his government was taking result-oriented steps for the welfare of journalists and resolving their problems. Millions of rupees, he said, had been spent so far in providing grants in aid to the press clubs across the province in addition to the construction and rehabilitation of various press clubs.

The Chief Minister said that the government has special focus on strengthening and promoting media and journalist activities in the newly merged districts and to this end, work was in full swing on the projects regarding construction and rehabilitation of press clubs in the merged districts.

The Chief Minister felicitated the newly-elected president of Shangla Press Club Khalid Khan and other members and expressed the hope that they would utilise their capabilities effectively to resolve the issues of journalists in the area.