PFUJ reiterates resolve to fight for rights of journalists

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) during the three-day meeting of its Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Quetta from 25th to 27th of September 2020 chaired by President Shehzada Zulfiqar, adopted resolutions on teething issues confronted by Journalists and media workers, like non-implementation of Wage Board Award, continued retrenchments and layoffs in media industry, squeeze of finances and closures of regional newspapers and suspension of transmission of different TV channels.While criticising the owners of the media houses for ignoring to implement 8th Wage Board Award, which was agreed upon by all the stakeholders with consensus in December 2019 and government announced to enforce the Award without any delay, however it seems, owners of media houses were still avoiding implementing the Wage Board.

According to a press release, the FEC urged the government of Pakistan to fulfil its commitment, announced on various occasion for the implementation of Wage Board Award by using law of the land and influence over the owners of media houses. “We want an urgent implementation of 8th Wage Board Award, without any further delay and delaying tactics will further widened gulf between owners and the journalists community,” the resolution said.

The resolution adopted by FEC on retrenchments and forced layoffs, condemns of owners and government which has led to huge joblessness of around 7,000 journalists and media workers across Pakistan, which is alarming situation in the country. “There is an immediate need to halt, retrenchments and layoffs in media industry and owners should not be used as a tool of victimisation of journalist community and media workers,” the resolution emphasised.

In a separate resolution adopted for raising serious concerns on collapse of regional newspapers and different news and entertainment channel, due to financial squeeze and use of Pemra laws just for arm twisting of media and regional newspapers with hidden agenda of denying right to information, free media, and freedom of speech and expression guaranteed through Article 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

“It’s an irony, that instead of financially and administratively empowering federating units of the country, provincial quota of advertisements have been taken over by the federal government, thus resulted in collapse of regional newspaper industry, which needs immediate restoration of regional quota of advertisements across Pakistan,” the FEC resolution demanded.