Cabinet panel to resolve wage award issue | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Cabinet panel to resolve wage award issue

ISLAMABAD – The cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on July 12 decided to link the newspaper advertisements with the enforcement of 7th Wage Board Award for newspaper employees.

Cabinet has set up a committee to look into the issues of Award after consulting the newspaper employers and employees.

The recommendations of the committee would be considered, in case an agreement on enforcing the Wage Board is reached before the next cabinet meeting, otherwise the cabinet would take an arbitrary decision.

The five-member committee consists of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, Minister for Information Sheikh Rasheed, Minister for Housing and Works Syed Safwanullah, Minister for Petroleum Nauraiz Shakoor and Minister for Religious Affairs Ijaz ul Haq.

“The cabinet committee has been entrusted with the task to narrow the differences among the stakeholders and ensure that the justice is done to all. The cabinet expressed its firm commitment to the freedom of press and its determination to do its utmost to create a congenial atmosphere for all the stakeholders”, said a press statement.

The Information minister said that the committee would also look into the issues such as up to Rs 12,000 salary of the peons in the newspapers and various other matters. Sheikh Rashid also mentioned advertisements published on behalf of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS).

Earlier during a denaturalisation seminar, presided over by the Prime Minster Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, more than 261 members of press clubs across the country, who were present there, raised hue and cry for early enforcement of 7th Wage Board.

The Premier promised to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The Information minister said that the secretary information is abroad and in such a situation he has to wait. The Premier asked him to move a summary through Additional Secretary In charge of the ministry.

Sheikh Rashid said that the name of Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz was added in the committee when he received a letter from Arif Nizami of daily ‘The Nation’, as he better understood the issues of finances.

It is worth mentioning that National Assembly had already passed a resolution to enforce the said Award.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:7/13/2004