ISLAMABAD: The National Press Club on Thursday lauded the Pakistan government for including a Rs1 billion ($3.6 million) health insurance scheme for journalists in the budget for fiscal year 2024-25, urging the administration to also consider adding a benevolent fund and pension program.
Pakistani finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday announced a health insurance scheme for journalists and media workers while presenting the federal budget 2024-25 in the National Assembly. In the first phase of the scheme, some 5,000 journalists and media worker will be provided with health insurance, which would be extended to another 10,000 journalists in the second phase.
“Shehbaz Sharif, when he took the oath of the prime minister for the second time, he ordered to revive health insurance for journalists and media workers,” the finance minister said in his budget speech.
The Rs1 billion allocation was made in the finance bill for FY23 but the scheme could not be started after the dissolution of the Prime Minister Sharif-led coalition government ahead of February 8 national elections.
Azhar Jatoi, the president of the National Press Club in Islamabad, lauded the government for reviving the stalled health insurance project, which he described as a “long standing demand” of journalists and media workers.
“It is unfortunate that the majority of our news organizations don’t provide sufficient health coverage to their employees, so this government initiative will help cover this gap,” Jatoi told Arab News.
A delegation of journalists had called on Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday and demanded that the government also include a benevolent fund and pension scheme in the budget.
“The minister has promised to review our proposals for the benevolent fund and pension,” Jatoi said. “The provinces are already providing the benevolent fund facility to journalists, so we want the government to start it in the center as well where over 3,400 journalists and media workers are registered with the press club.”
