Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced an endowment fund of Rs.200 million for the welfare of journalists.
 The fund will help provide financial assistance to families of dead and injured journalists, provide medical facilities and for marriage of daughters of media personnel, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.
 Addressing the oath taking ceremony of office bearers of National Press Club here, the prime minister said the government will also bear all expenses for the construction of a building of the National Press Club in the capital.
 Gilani announced a grant of Rs.10 million for the National Press Club and said the grant would be provided to the press club every year.
 He said Pakistan People's Party activists along with the journalist community gad struggled for the restoration of democracy, independence of judiciary and freedom of media after the imposition of emergency by the General Musharraf regime.
 The prime minister said the PPP government abolished all black laws that had put restrictions on the press, and now no newspaper, magazine, radio or television channel is banned for expressing difference with the government. IANS

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