Non-payment of salaries: Journalists to observe nationwide protest
Private TV channels and newspapers have deprived their staff members of salaries for the past several months.
A nationwide protest against non-payment of salaries will be held by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (Dastoor) on Tuesday. According to a press release issued by the PFUJ (Dastoor), the protests will be held outside the press clubs and union offices of all major cities.
PFUJ (Dastoor) President Idrees Bakhtiar and General Secretary Mian Riffat Qadri said that the private TV channels and newspapers have deprived their staff members of salaries for the past several months.
On the other hand, the government is providing millions of rupees as relief to these media groups. “If the government has given Rs300 million to All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), the funds should be utilised to release staff members’ salaries,” said Bakthiar.
He, however, lauded the Punjab government’s resolution towards payment of salaries to journalists and media personnel.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2012.