The Federal Cabinet on Tuesday gave approval to Pakistan’s first-ever Digital Media Advertising Policy. Federal Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain made the announcement.
As per the policy, advertisements will become digital while ensuring transparency. Calling the policy “revolutionary,” Fawad Chaudhry stated that under PT’s tenure, advertisements witnessed a surge.
“I had written a letter to the Finance Ministry in 2018, informing them that government spent Rs. 3-4 billion on digital ads at the time, which now it increased to Rs. 25 billion,” the Minister said.
The federal cabinet approved first-ever Digital Media Advertisement Policy. Federal Info Minister @fawadchaudhry announced it while addressing a press conference after the cabinet meeting chaired by #PMImranKhan https://t.co/aIp63bQp8P via @pakobserver#PakistanMovingForward
— PTI (@PTIofficial) July 27, 2021
The minister also said that for the first time in history, zero payment is pending against the government’s advertisements.
As Pakistan’s digital media industry is rapidly growing, the policy will enable it to advertise on digital and social media platforms through the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
The rising trend of social media prompted the government decided to introduce Pakistan’s first Digital Media Advertising Policy.
Read more: Pakistan’s first social media app will be ready by the end of 2021: IT Minister
In March, Senator Shibli Faraz briefed PM Khan on the policy proposed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Currently, Pakistan has 93 million internet users in Pakistan and over 45 million social media users and the number is continuously growing.
Enabling advertisements through digital media will benefit the economy overall.
More on the Cabinet Meeting
The federal cabinet also approved National Cyber Security Policy 2021 for data protection and prevention of cybercrimes.
Measures for cybersecurity tightened after India revealed that it used the NSO Group’s spyware to target PM Imran Khan’s number.
Read more: Pakistan strongly condemns India’s ‘rogue behavior’: PM Imran Khan
The Information Minister briefed on government measures to block mobile SIMS of people not getting the vaccines. The inoculation ratio is still low in Pakistan. As a result, Covid cases are rising again.
“If the voluntary coronavirus inoculations do not increase, then the option to block mobile phone SIMS of such people is available,” the information minister stated.
Moreover, Fawad Chaudhry also announced that the cabinet approved a policy whereby Pakistanis can be dual nationality holders if they wish to also hold Czech Republic citizenship.
Read more: Turkey-Pakistan Dual Nationality Plan: Easier to Live, Work & Gain Nationality