OPR Authority

The office of the Press Registrar derives its authority from Press, Newspapers, News Agencies, and Books Registration Ordinance 2002 and Rules 2009 with a mandate to maintain centralized data of publications, news agencies, and printing presses from all over Pakistan.

 

The Office was created under sections 39 and 42 of PNNBR Ordinance 2002.  Both sections are reproduced herein;

Section-39 states; "The Federal Government Shall appoint a civil servant of Basic Scale 20 as Press Registrar of newspapers for Pakistan and such other officers under the general superintendence and control of the Press Registrar as may by general or special order provide for the distribution or allocation of function to be performed by them under this Ordinance."

Section-42 states: "The Government may appoint any officer or officers to carry out the purposes of this Ordinance and such officer or officers shall have such duties and powers in respect of the regulation of matters about printing presses, books, papers, printers, publishers and the news agencies as the Government may assign."

This office has only two sanctioned posts Press Registrar (BS-20) and Deputy Press Registrar (BS-19).

The Regional Offices of the Press Register are being managed with the support of Designated Officers of the Regional Press Information Departments of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Islamabad.

16 Press Registrars have served in this office from 2007 till 2023.  Ms. Imrana Wazir is the 16th Press Registrar from 23.01.2023 onwards. (See list of Press Registrar)