Overview

• The All Pakistan Newspapers Society observed National Newspaper Readership Day on September 25 with a campaign urging a return to verified journalism and resistance to algorithm-driven falsehoods.
• President Asif Ali Zardari praised newspapers’ role in democratic life, urged young people to adopt regular reading habits, and pressed the press to uphold ethics, balance, and fairness.
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Senate chairman, and provincial chief ministers encouraged citizens—especially youth—to read both print and digital editions to build informed communities.
• APNS president Sarmad Ali cast the day as a national call to combat fake news and disinformation, appealing to educators and policymakers to guide students toward credible sources.
• Op-eds underscored newspapers’ verification and editorial accountability in an AI-heavy media landscape, while reports highlighted Punjab initiatives linking universities with newsrooms and expanding professional training.