PFUJ to protest again if demands not met

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 29 January 2013

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has postponed a planned protest until February 7 after receiving government assurances. Their key demands include the formation of the Wage Board and compensation for journalists killed on duty.

Summary

ISLAMABAD: A sit-in outside the Parliament House by journalists Monday was deferred until February 7 after assurances their demands would be met.

The protest was organized by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) to press for arrest of journalists’ killers and constituting the 8^th Wage Board.

Some of their other demands included providing insurance cover to reporters and camerapersons and paying compensation of up to Rs2.5 million to journalists killed in the line of duty.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira assured the protesters their key demand of setting up the Wage Board would be met in a week’s time.

He also announced that a revolving fund of Rs50 million for giving compensation to slain journalists’ families would be made available. A formal announcement in this regard would be made in the next couple of days, he said.

PFUJ President Pervez Shaukat said the protest had only been deferred. “If our demands are not met, we will return.”

International watchdogs ranked Pakistan as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists where 13 were killed in 2012. This year already, two journalists and a cameraman got killed in a bomb blast in Quetta on January 10.

KEY POINTS:

• PFUJ postpones protest outside Parliament House until February 7.
• Government promises to establish the 8th Wage Board within a week.
• Assurance given for compensation of Rs50 million for families of slain journalists.
• International watchdogs rank Pakistan as a dangerous country for journalists.
• Two journalists already killed in 2023 alone.