Journalists protest over non-payment of salary
ISLAMABAD: Journalists covering parliamentary proceedings staged walked out from both the National Assembly and Senate sessions on Monday in protest against non-payment of salaries for the past several months and retrenchment of media workers by certain electronic and print media organisations.
The matter was later referred to the house standing committee on the advice of Samsam Bukhari, the minister of state for information.
Government and opposition members visited the press room and ensured the protesting journalists that every effort would be made to mitigate the sufferings of journalists.
They included Samsam Bukhari, leader of house in the Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, PML-LM Salim Saifullah Khan and Minister of State for Industries Dr Ayatullah Durrani.
Government representatives were informed that certain private television channels, including a semi government channel, and PBC were irregular in payment of salary and some others randomly terminated services of their employees at will and even without making final settlement of their accounts.
The protesting journalists said newspaper owners had not implemented 7th wage board award despite the government had given them Rs5 billion extra advertisements.
Federal Minister for Information Qamar Zaman Kaira who later called a meeting of his department officials and representatives of journalists at parliament house assured media personnel full support of the government in resolving all their issues.
It was decided at the meeting that the information department would arrange a meeting of the information minister with the owners of television channels and newspapers on Tuesday to discuss ways and means to redress the grievances of journalists.Among journalists’ representatives included Syed Nayyar Bukhari and leaders of PFUJ and RIUJ.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/15/2010
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