Govt dues to media houses to be worked out in 4 weeks

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday chaired a meeting regarding release of pending dues of electronic media.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Finance, Information, Broadcasting and Heritage, minister Information, government of Sindh, federal secretary, Ministry of Finance, federal secretary Ministry of Information, provincial secretaries Information, Sindh and Punjab. Chairman Pakistan Broadcast Association (PBA) and members of its Executive body also attended the meeting.

At the outset of meeting, the chief justice told the participants that meeting is being conducted in the backdrop of salary issue of media personnel that are not paid monthly salaries by their owners and they are being deprived of their jobs. Most of the media houses are trying to shut their business on account of nonpayment of dues by the federal as well as provincial governments. This issue is connected with survival and sustenance of the media workers, right to life which is a fundamental right of every citizen of Pakistan.

The CJP asked to all media houses and owners, not to deprive the media workers of their jobs on account of nonpayment of dues by the government. The meeting deliberated upon issues and discussed in detail different ways and means to resolve the issue.

Similarly, the meeting decided that the federal government will verify the claims of media houses and will suggest roadmap for release of dues to the media houses within a period of four weeks. However, governments of Punjab, Sindh and KPK conceded that payments due will be resolved within four weeks subject to verification of claims.