PFUJ, Apnec hail PM’s commitment to free media
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec) on Saturday welcomed the statement of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for amending the Pemra Ordinance 2007 and commitment to the early implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award.
PFUJ Secretary-General Mazhar Abbas said in a statement that the two apex bodies of the newspaper employees in a joint statement also welcomed the abolition of the controversial Industrial Relations Ordinance, IRO-2002, and lifting of ban on trade unions and student unions.
In their statement, they said these were all welcome decisions and true reflection of the sentiments of the people.
The two organisations said the abolition of the amended Pemra Ordinance 2007 was the result of the 77-day struggle of the newspaper employees, during which journalists were jailed and injured but they continued their struggle.
“The prime minister has set the tone and we will now see the implementation,” it said. However, the two bodies opposed putting Pemra under the Ministry of Information and urged the prime minister to abolish the entire law and appoint a joint committee comprising all the media stakeholders to make it a self-regulatory body.
They also welcomed the announcement of the prime minister about the access to information, live coverage of meetings of the parliamentary committee and offered all help in this regard.
The PFUJ and Apnec further said in their statement the implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award would be the real test of the supremacy of parliament as it was the only issue on which the National Assembly, the Senate and the four provincial assemblies had passed unanimous resolutions.
Source: The News
Date:3/30/2008
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