The future and role of the National Press Trust (NPT) have come under fresh discussion after a Senate committee questioned whether the organisation is still needed in its present form.
The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting raised concerns about the purpose, working and assets of the NPT during its meeting in Islamabad. The committee noted that the main newspapers associated with the Trust had already been privatised, raising questions about whether the original purpose of the organisation still exists.
Committee Chairman Senator Sarmad Ali said the purpose for which the NPT was created had changed after the privatisation of its newspapers. He questioned why the Trust should continue in its current form and called for its role to be reviewed according to present conditions.
The committee also asked for complete details about the Trust’s properties and funds. It decided to seek the opinion of the Ministry of Law on whether the NPT trust deed should be changed. The possible changes would take into account the current media environment as well as the welfare of journalists and other media workers.
Why Was the National Press Trust Created?
The National Press Trust was established in 1964 under a trust deed signed by 39 Pakistani businessmen. According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Trust was created to promote responsible and healthy journalism and encourage the use of the press as a tool for national development.
The NPT was also given the purpose of establishing and publishing newspapers and periodicals. It was expected to support mass media and promote ideas linked with democratic society, economic development, education and social welfare.
Over the years, however, the structure and role of the organisation changed significantly.
The Trust’s Board of Trustees was suspended in 1972, and the organisation later went through a process that eventually led to the disinvestment and privatisation of its newspapers and companies. The government’s own description of the NPT says that after these changes, the Trust no longer had newspapers operating under it in the same way as before.
This history is at the centre of the latest Senate discussion.
Newspapers Were Privatised
The NPT once had an important connection with several newspapers, including publications such as Pakistan Times, Imroze and Mashriq. According to a previous report by Dawn, the NPT’s charter was amended in 1996, after which the newspapers under the Trust were privatised.
The privatisation of these publications changed the nature of the Trust.
The organisation was originally designed around the idea of promoting journalism through newspapers and other media activities. Once those newspapers were no longer under its ownership, questions naturally emerged about what role the NPT should perform.
The Senate committee has now brought that question back into focus.
Senator Sarmad Ali said the purpose of the Trust needs to be reconsidered in light of the changed situation. The committee wants to understand what the NPT currently does, what assets it controls and whether its existing structure remains suitable.
Focus on NPT Properties and Funds
One of the main issues raised during the meeting was the management of NPT properties.
The committee directed officials to provide details of the Trust’s properties and funds at its next meeting. Members want more information about the assets owned or controlled by the organisation and how those assets are being used.
Earlier parliamentary discussions have also raised questions about NPT properties. A previous Senate briefing said the Trust was operating without a chairman for several years and was managing several properties across major cities.
The issue is important because the NPT no longer operates the newspapers that were once central to its activities. As a result, the management and use of its remaining buildings and other assets have become an important part of the discussion about its future.
The committee has also decided to visit Karachi to inspect buildings belonging to the NPT, along with properties of Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan. The purpose of the visit is to examine how these buildings can be used more effectively.
Law Ministry Asked to Review Trust Deed
The Senate panel has decided to seek the views of the Ministry of Law on possible changes to the NPT trust deed.
A trust deed sets out the purpose and basic framework of an organisation. If the original role of the NPT has changed because its newspapers have been privatised, the committee believes the legal structure may also need to be reviewed.
The proposed review does not necessarily mean that the NPT will immediately be closed. Instead, the committee is looking at whether its legal purpose and present activities match the current media environment.
The welfare of media workers is also being considered as part of this discussion.
The committee wants any possible changes to the Trust to take into account the needs of journalists and other workers connected with the media sector.
Wider Concerns About Pakistan’s Media Industry
The discussion about the NPT took place during a broader conversation about the condition of Pakistan’s media industry.
Senator Sarmad Ali stressed the need for steps to support the mainstream media sector. He said financial support through advertising could help established media organisations deal with the challenge of fake news.
The committee also discussed the distribution of government advertisements.
State advertising is an important source of revenue for many media organisations. The committee called for greater accountability and transparency in how these advertisements are given to newspapers, television channels and other media outlets.
The chairman suggested that government advertisements should not be given to media organisations that are not registered with the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution, or EOBI.
The committee decided to seek a detailed briefing from EOBI on the issue during a future meeting.
Media Workers’ Welfare Also Discussed
The Senate committee also discussed the welfare of journalists and other media workers.
Officials informed the committee that health insurance for journalists and media workers had been revived. The possibility of providing life insurance is also being considered.
This issue is significant because media workers have faced financial pressure in recent years due to changes in the industry, falling revenues and changes in the way people consume news.
Traditional newspapers and television channels now compete with websites, social media platforms and digital news outlets. This has changed the business model of journalism and created new challenges for media workers.
Against this background, the committee wants the welfare of journalists to remain part of discussions about changes in media-related institutions.
NPT’s Future Under Discussion
The latest Senate discussion does not settle the future of the National Press Trust. Instead, it has opened the door for a detailed review.
The committee wants information about the NPT’s assets, funds and present activities before deciding what should happen next. It also wants the Ministry of Law to examine whether changes to the trust deed are required.
The central question is straightforward: What should the NPT do now that the newspapers for which it was created have been privatised?
Different options could be considered once the committee receives the required information and legal opinion. The Trust could potentially be given a revised role, its legal structure could be changed, or its assets could be managed under a different arrangement. Any final decision would depend on the legal framework, financial details and policy discussions.
For now, the Senate committee has asked for more information rather than announcing a final decision.
Previous Questions About NPT
This is not the first time lawmakers have questioned the role of the National Press Trust.
In an earlier Senate committee discussion, lawmakers raised concerns about the organisation’s functioning and asked for information about its structure, role and responsibilities. At that time, the committee was informed that the NPT had been operating without a chairman since 2019 and had several properties and employees in different cities.
The government’s current information page on the NPT says the Trust has no allocation from the government budget and that its staff are not civil servants. It also says the organisation’s functions, rules and posts were revived following the appointment of a regular chairman.
These details show why the committee wants a clearer picture of the Trust’s current position.
Need for a Clear Role
The Senate committee’s latest discussion highlights a wider issue faced by several public and semi-public institutions: whether their current role matches the reason they were originally created.
The media industry has changed greatly since the NPT was established in 1964. At that time, newspapers were among the main sources of information for the public. Today, people receive news through television, websites, social media and mobile applications.
The privatisation of the NPT’s newspapers added another major change to the organisation’s position.
Because of these developments, the committee believes that the Trust’s purpose should be examined again.
A clear and updated role could help avoid confusion about its responsibilities, assets and future direction.
Karachi Visit Planned
As part of its review, the Senate committee plans to visit Karachi to inspect buildings belonging to the NPT, PTV and Radio Pakistan.
The visit will allow lawmakers to see the condition and use of these properties and consider possible plans for their better utilisation.
The committee has not yet announced what specific changes could be made to the NPT properties. However, the decision to inspect them shows that the Trust’s physical assets are an important part of the ongoing review.
Information gathered during the visit may help lawmakers understand the financial and administrative position of the organisation.
What Happens Next?
The next stage will depend on the information requested by the Senate committee.
Officials are expected to provide details of NPT properties and funds. The Ministry of Law will also be asked to give its opinion on possible changes to the Trust deed.
After receiving these details, the committee can examine whether the NPT should continue with its present structure or receive a new role that reflects current media conditions.
The committee’s discussions may also be linked with wider efforts to improve the media sector, protect media workers and make government advertising more transparent.
For now, there is no final decision on the future of the National Press Trust.
What has changed is that its continued relevance is now being openly questioned at the parliamentary level. The Senate committee wants the organisation’s original purpose, current responsibilities, financial position and assets to be examined before decisions are made.
The discussion therefore goes beyond the question of whether the NPT should continue. It also raises a larger question about how old media institutions should adapt when the industry around them changes.
With its newspapers already privatised, the NPT now stands at a point where lawmakers are considering whether its existing structure still serves a useful purpose or whether a new role is needed.
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