Journalists protest for Wage Board Award
PESHAWAR – “Stop economic murder of the workers of newspapers”, read a banner in the protest march of the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) on May 20.
The union activists, while concluding a three-day strike camp, led a demonstration from the Peshawar Press Club to the Peshawar High Court to protest against the nonÂimplementation of the seventh Wage Board Award. If the award were not implemented, the journalists warned the government that they would take extreme steps. Besides journalists, a large number of people participated in the march to show solidarity with newspaper workers. KhUJ President Saiiad Haider demanded the government immediately implement the wage board award to benefit the workers of the newspaper industry. “The peaceful agitation of journalists can turn violent if their demands are not accepted,” he warned the government while addressing the protestors outside the high court.
President of the Peshawar Press Club Muhammad Riaz said newspaper owners were delaying the implementation of the award while the judiciary was delaying the cases to keep the workers deprived of their rights. “This act on their part is condemnable,” he said. Mr. Riaz demanded the chief justice of the Supreme Court take suo motu action. Abdul Haleem, president of the Akhbar Frosh Union (hawkers union), said hawkers supported the wage board demands.
The protesters staged a sit-in outside the high court at the end of the march. Awami National Party (ANP) Central Vice President Haji Muhammad Adeel, who accompanied the protestors, said the ANP had supported the wage board demands.
Source: Daily Times
Date:5/21/2004
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