Abb Takk layoffs deepen Pakistan media job crisis

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 16 March 2026 |  JP Staff Report

Abb Takk dismissed eight journalists from its Islamabad bureau days before Eid, deepening concerns over job security as salary delays of up to three months become common across Pakistan's broadcast sector. It reflects wider cuts amid shrinking ad revenues.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s struggling broadcast media industry has suffered another blow after eight journalists from the Islamabad bureau of Abb Takk News were reportedly laid off just days before Eid, intensifying concerns about job security and delayed salaries across the sector.

According to journalists familiar with the situation, the channel terminated five reporters and three assignment editors from its Islamabad bureau, leaving several media professionals suddenly unemployed at a time when many in the industry are already coping with delayed salary payments.

The dismissals come amid a wider crisis in Pakistan’s television news industry, where journalists say salary delays of up to three months have become increasingly common in several organizations.

Layoffs hit journalists ahead of Eid

Media workers say the timing of the layoffs has heightened frustration within the journalist community, particularly because many employees were already waiting for overdue salaries. In some news organizations, staff members report that wages have not been paid for two to three months.

The layoffs have added to growing anxiety among reporters and newsroom staff who say financial uncertainty has become a persistent feature of the media sector in recent years.

Pakistan’s broadcast industry has faced a prolonged economic squeeze driven by shrinking advertising revenues, rising operational costs, and intense competition among television networks and digital platforms.

Industry pressures trigger wider cuts

Abb Takk is not the only outlet that has recently reduced staff. Several Pakistani media organizations have undertaken layoffs in recent months as part of cost-cutting measures.

Television channels such as NewOne and Aaj News have reportedly reduced newsroom staff, while digital media operations have also seen restructuring. The digital platform Nukta, in which ARY News has acquired a majority stake, has also reportedly cut jobs as part of broader operational adjustments.

Journalists’ organizations have repeatedly warned that delayed salaries, layoffs, and declining newsroom resources are creating a precarious environment for media professionals across the country.

Labor disputes over unpaid wages and job insecurity have previously triggered protests and intervention by journalist unions, reflecting the severity of the industry’s financial challenges.

Growing strain on Pakistan’s media workforce

For many journalists, the layoffs highlight deeper structural problems facing Pakistan’s media economy. Industry observers say television channels are struggling to sustain large newsrooms as advertising revenues shift toward digital platforms and operating costs continue to rise.

The result, journalists warn, is an increasingly unstable employment landscape where delayed salaries and sudden job losses have become common across multiple organizations.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The latest layoffs underscore the growing instability of Pakistan’s broadcast media sector, where delayed salaries and job cuts are becoming increasingly common. For journalists, this environment raises serious concerns about financial security, professional sustainability, and the ability of newsrooms to maintain independent reporting under economic pressure.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on information confirmed by journalists in Islamabad on March 16, 2026.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.