PRA criticizes TV channels over delayed Eid salaries

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 27 May 2026 |  JP Staff Report

The Parliamentary Reporters Association said several Pakistani TV channels delayed or partially paid April salaries and failed to give advance May pay ahead of Eid, naming outlets and urging the government to suspend official advertising for non‑paying channels.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—The Parliamentary Reporters Association (PRA) has raised concerns over delayed and incomplete salary payments by several Pakistani television news channels ahead of Eid al-Adha, warning that the situation reflects deepening financial and labor pressures within the country’s broadcast media industry.

In a statement issued by PRA Information Secretary Javed Hussain, the association said many media workers had not received April salaries or advance May payments despite the holiday period. The group called on the government to suspend official advertising for channels that fail to pay employees on time and urged authorities to take stricter action against non-compliant organizations.

Salary delays across channels

According to the PRA statement, Aaj News had not paid April salaries to employees, while 365 News, Aik News, and Abb Takk News allegedly failed to fully pay April salaries to lower-income staff and journalists earning above Rs100,000.

The association also criticized Geo News, describing it as a leading media network built through the efforts of its employees, for not disbursing advance May salaries before Eid. PRA further listed ARY, BOL, GNN, NewsOne, Neo News, Suno, GTV, Channel 5, Capital TV, and Public News among channels that had not provided advance salary payments to staff.

PRA said the situation reflected what it described as a lack of employee-friendly policies within parts of the television industry.

Channels praised for advance payments

The association, however, praised Samaa News, Dunya, HUM News, and M News for paying advance May salaries to employees before Eid. It added that 24 News, Express News, and DawnNews had issued half salaries before the holidays, while urging those organizations to ensure full payment to workers.

The statement also revisited concerns over recent layoffs across the media sector, saying more than 160 dismissed employees at Suno News had still not been reinstated despite earlier protests by parliamentary reporters.

PRA referred to its May 11 walkout from Parliament and the Senate, which prompted Information Minister Attaullah Tarar to announce a temporary suspension of government advertising to Suno News. According to the association, government advertisements were restored within 24 hours, but no dismissed employees were reinstated.

The association said it had already provided the information minister with a list of affected employees and demanded urgent intervention to address the layoffs.

Industry pressures deepen

PRA additionally condemned what it called forced layoffs at Suno, Dunya, Abb Takk, NewsOne, GTV, and Aaj News, among others, and called for dismissed employees to be reinstated.

The latest dispute highlights continuing economic stress across Pakistan’s television news sector, where broadcasters have faced declining advertising revenues, rising operational costs, and repeated allegations of delayed salary payments in recent years. Media labor groups and press organizations have repeatedly warned that financial instability in newsrooms is affecting both journalist welfare and editorial independence.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The PRA statement reflects growing concern over the financial sustainability of Pakistan’s television news industry and the impact of delayed salaries and layoffs on newsroom morale and journalist welfare. For media professionals, the dispute also underscores how economic pressures can reshape labor conditions, newsroom stability, and the broader independence of broadcast journalism.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available statements issued by the Parliamentary Reporters Association on May 26, 2026.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.