Minister assures clearance of media workers' dues before Eid

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 4 May 2020

On World Press Freedom Day, journalists protested for unpaid dues outside the Parliament. Minister Shibli Faraz promised payments before Eid.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Federation Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) on Sunday marked the World Press Freedom Day by staging a sit-in in front of the Parliament House.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz who met the protesting journalists, assured payment of dues of media workers before Eid. Many media houses have not paid salaries to staff for months, and not cleared dues of those laid off.

Senator Rehman Malik, a delegation of Qaumi Watan Party, senior Journalist Hamid Mir, President Lahore Press Club Arshad Ansari, former PFUJ President Afzal Butt, RIUJ General-Secretary Asif Bhatti and journalists associated with various media houses participated in the protest.

Afzal Butt called on the government to resolve the issues of journalists including layoffs, dues, and delays in payment of salaries.

Rehman Malik, Hamid Mir, Asif Bhatti also spoke on the occasion.

KEY POINTS:

• PFUJ and RIUJ staged a sit-in on World Press Freedom Day.
• Shibli Faraz assured payment of media workers' dues before Eid.
• Many media workers have not been paid for months.
• Senator Rehman Malik and other journalists participated in the protest.
• Calls for resolution of journalists' issues continue.