Strong media workforce crucial for nation’s growth, says Nasir

Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Hussain Shah on Saturday emphasised his strong, long-standing relationship with the media, and reiterated Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s directive to ensure that media workers are paid their due salaries.

Shah was the chief guest at the meeting of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Workers’ (PFUJ) Federal Executive Council, which was organised by the Karachi Union of Journalists Workers.

He reaffirmed the PPP’s commitment to supporting journalists and ensuring their welfare, saying that a strong media workforce is crucial for both the party’s and the nation’s growth. He praised the role of unions in safeguarding the rights of media workers, and pledged his party’s continuous support.

Senior journalist and anchorman Mazhar Abbas expressed deep regret over the division within the PFUJ, and paid tribute to the late Pervez Shaukat for his integrity and contributions to the journalists’ movement.

Abbas highlighted the importance of a united and strong PFUJ, noting that empowering media workers, rather than solely strengthening media owners, is essential for the media industry’s success and for strengthening political parties, including the PPP.

PFUJ General Secretary Shahid Ali presented the minister with a traditional Sindhi Ajrak as a sign of respect. In return, the minister presented an Ajrak to PFUJ acting president Dr Saadia Kamal, symbolising unity and goodwill between the leadership and the media.

The meeting underscored the importance of solidarity among media workers and the critical role unions play in advocating for journalists’ rights in Pakistan. The presence of key union leaders from both Karachi and Rawalpindi-Islamabad reaffirmed the collective strength of the PFUJ Workers in safeguarding the future of media workers across the country.