The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) on Thursday signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to provide health cards to journalists, media workers, artists, and technicians associated with the film industry.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb graced the MoU ceremony as special guests.
Principal Information Officer (PIO) Mobashir Hassan and SLIC Executive Director Shahid Iqbal signed the MoU for health insurance of journalists and media workers, while the agreement for the provision of health insurance to artists and technical experts was signed by Directorate of Electronic Media Publications Director General Samina Farzin and SLIC Divisional Head Muhammad Ashar.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Economy and Energy Bilal Azhar Kiyani, Secretary of Information and Broadcasting Sohail Ali Khan, and SLIC Chairman Shoaib Javed were also present on the occasion.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and SLIC also attended the MoU signing ceremony.
Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the introduction of a health insurance facility for journalists and artists was a step forward to achieving the milestone of an equitable Pakistan as dreamt by Quaid-e-Azam.
The prime minister said the agreement was of utmost importance as it addressed the media men and artists who worked hard, even sometimes during tough working conditions, but remained deprived of basic amenities in their lives.
However, the government would provide them with health insurance coverage through budgetary allocations under the PM Program.
Calling her a “moving spirit” the prime minister appreciated the key role of Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb to launch the said insurance facility.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the health insurance scheme of journalists and artists was a historic decision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
She said the Prime Minister took a historic decision for the health insurance of journalists and artists, which was starting from today, for the first time in the history of Pakistan.
She said Rs 1 billion had been allocated in the current year budget for each category.
The prime minister had issued directives that the money allocated in the budget for journalists and artists should not be limited to announcements only but practical steps should be taken on this project, she added.
The minister said that the registration for health insurance was started two weeks ago for journalists and media workers and one week ago for artists.
