Outstanding dues of newspapers: Journalists’ participation in protest rally hailed

KARACHI: The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) hosted a reception for the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Press Club and Karachi Union of Journalists to express its gratitude and hail their enthusiastic participation in its recent protest rally in front of the Sindh Assembly building in Karachi against payment of outstanding dues to newspapers in Sindh through ill reputed and defaulter advertising agencies facing NAB cases instead of direct payment to newspapers.

Those participated among a large number of journalists were Ahmad Khan Malik, G M Jamali, Faheem Siddiqui, Imtiaz Faran, Sohail Afzal, Ajiz Jamali, Saeed Sarbazi, Tariq Abul Hassan, Hassan Abbas, Hamidur Rehman and Sohail Jan Baloch.

Also present from CPNE were Aijazul Haq, Ghulam Nabi Chandio, Tahir Najmi, Maqsood Yousufi, Abdul Khalique Ali, Abdul Rahman Mangrio, Sher Muhammad, Khawar Adnan Malik, Bashir Ahmad Memon, Hamid Hussain Abidi, Mian Tariq Javed, Usman Arab Sati, Saeed Khawar, Muhammad Tahir, Anwar Sajidi, Aamir Khattak, Hasina Jatoi and Hamida Ghanghro and several other editors.

Speaking on the occasion CPNE Secretary General Dr Jabbar Khattak expressed his gratitude to office bearers and members of joint action committee of the PFUJ, Karachi Press Club and Karachi Union of Journalists for their participation in the protest rally and said that the mutual solidarity of journalists organisations had stimulated the Sindh government to step up taking swift line of action towards immediate direct payment of outstanding dues to the newspapers.

He added that editors were playing the role of a bridge between the newspapers management and journalists. Dr Jabbar Khattak said that payment of salaries in time to media employees and other workers would be ensured after direct payments to the newspapers of Sindh adding that the protest rally was aimed at keeping in view the financial problem of the journalists and employees of the media organisations.

Ahmad Khan Malik, President of Karachi Press Club, said that despite attack on Karachi Press Club and non-payment of outstanding dues to the newspapers, the solidarity of all the media organisations and media workers demonstrated in the rally would strengthen their vigorous struggle to protect the fourth pillar of the state.

PFUJ President G M Jamali stressed the need for immediate payment of salaries to journalists and media employees after direct payment of outstanding dues was made by the Sindh government to the newspapers as he said the media employees were in the grip of mental torture, starvation and financial crisis due to non payment of their salaries.

PFUJ Secretary General Sohail Afzal was of the opinion that all the stakeholders of media could resolve their problems through mutual understanding and cooperation.

Karachi Union of Journalists General Secretary Faheem Siddiqui suggested that if the CPNE to play its role to settle disputes and resolve issues between the media management and employees, the media organisations would wholeheartedly support the CPNE as he said problems of media could be resolved through mutual solidarity and unity.

Maqsood Yousufi, the Karachi Press Club General Secretary and Member CPNE Standing Committee in his speech said that of late the rally proved as preface to the demonstration of unity of all media stakeholders. He was of the view of joint line of action of all the media stakeholders. Later, a sumptuous lunch was served for the participants.