PFUJ calls for urgent appointment of ITNE judge amid case backlog

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 23 October 2025 |  JP Staff Report

The PFUJ has called for the immediate appointment of a judge for the ITNE to address a significant case backlog. Without timely action, the situation could worsen for journalists seeking justice.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has urged the government to immediately appoint a judge for the Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE), a key body that has been non-functional since the tenure of its previous judge, Advocate Supreme Court Shahid Khokhar, ended. The post remains vacant, leaving hundreds of cases filed by journalists and media workers pending.

In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said the tribunal is the only legal forum available for journalists and newspaper employees to seek redress against media owners and managements.

“The ITNE is currently without any judge, resulting in a serious backlog of cases. If the judge of ITNE is not appointed timely manner, the situation will become unresolvable and alarming,” the PFUJ leaders warned.

They termed further delay in the appointment “criminal negligence” on the part of the authorities and called for the establishment of ITNE benches in all provincial capitals—Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, and Peshawar—in addition to Islamabad, to ensure faster and fairer access to justice for media professionals.