Fresh Aaj TV layoffs spark union backlash

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 11 April 2026 |  JP Staff Report

RIUJ condemned the dismissal of staff at Aaj News Islamabad amid unpaid salaries and plans to merge news and current affairs units. Union leaders demanded reinstatement, immediate wage clearance, and government intervention to protect media workers.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) has strongly condemned a fresh round of layoffs at Aaj News TV, where 14 staff members were reportedly terminated from the Islamabad center on Friday amid growing concerns over unpaid salaries and newsroom restructuring.

A source told JournalismPakistan that those affected include drivers, a studio assistant, an NLE, two camerapersons, and an electrician, among others. The development comes as the channel is reportedly moving to reduce its operational footprint by merging its news and current affairs units in Islamabad. Employees, according to insiders, have not received salaries for February and March, while some are still awaiting payments for January.

Layoffs and salary delays deepen staff uncertainty

The source further alleged that even employees who were terminated have not been cleared financially, intensifying distress among media workers already facing months of uncertainty. In one reported incident, an NLE who was waiting in the office to be picked up by family was instructed to leave immediately, with her staff card also retrieved on the spot.

RIUJ presidential statement escalates condemnation

RIUJ President Tariq Usmani and General Secretary Rizwan Ghilzai, in a joint statement, described the sudden layoffs as unfair and deeply damaging to the economic stability of media workers. They said such actions violate the basic principles of press freedom and urged government authorities to take immediate notice of the situation.

Leaders call for reinstatement and action

Deputy Presidents Faisal Awan and Javeria Siddique said that the treatment of employees by media houses is unacceptable and demanded the immediate reinstatement of all terminated staff, along with protection of their financial and professional rights. Joint Secretaries Raja Abdul Wahid Janjua and Khalid Malik added that in the current economic climate, forced layoffs amount to severe hardship for already struggling workers, urging media owners to act with responsibility and compassion.

Union's information secretary issues a strong warning

Information Secretary Mudassar Ilyas Kiani called the layoffs “tyrannical, immoral, and labor-hostile,” warning that such actions cannot be tolerated. He said RIUJ would not remain silent and would raise the issue at every forum, adding that protests could be launched if the situation continues.

The union has called on the government to intervene immediately and introduce effective measures to halt forced layoffs across media organizations, stressing the need to protect the future of journalists and media workers.

The latest reaction follows concerns raised by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), which had condemned the earlier layoffs in March that affected staff across multiple cities, leaving several employees unpaid for months. The union had warned of a broader operational and financial crisis within the network, citing significant reductions in news gathering capacity.

Reports also indicate continued salary delays for remaining staff, alongside a reported downsizing of field operations, including the shutdown of multiple DSNG units across the organization.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The situation highlights ongoing financial instability within Pakistani media organizations, where repeated layoffs and salary delays are directly affecting newsroom sustainability. For journalists, it underscores the growing precarity of media employment and the weakening of institutional protections during economic stress. It also raises broader questions about how newsroom restructuring is being managed amid rising operational pressures.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan based on publicly available statements from the Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (April 10, 2026) and the Karachi Union of Journalists (March 2026), alongside information provided by a newsroom source.