PTV pensioners continue protests over unpaid dues and medical facilities

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 7 February 2025 |  Media Release

PTV pensioners across Pakistan are staging protests demanding the release of overdue pensions and restoration of medical benefits. Demonstrations have occurred in major cities including Islamabad and Lahore, with calls for government action against PTV's administration.

Summary

ISLAMABAD-A large-scale protest was staged by PTV pensioners across Pakistan, demanding the immediate release of their monthly pensions, clearance of long-pending dues for nearly 400 employees, and restoring medical facilities on credit in hospitals. Demonstrations took place in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta, where elderly pensioners—many in wheelchairs and using walkers—gathered at press clubs and PTV centers to voice their concerns.

The central protest was held outside PTV headquarters and the National Press Club, where the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) stood in solidarity with the pensioners. Protesters united under the banner of PTV Pensioners Etehad, strongly condemned the management for withholding pensions while allegedly diverting funds toward sports rights payments.

Muhammad Ashraf, President of PTV Pensioners Etehad, denounced the administration’s mismanagement, citing instances of illegal appointments and extravagant expenditures, while pensioners continued to suffer. Other speakers, including Muhammad Liaqat Khan, Iqbal Shaheen, Shahid Mehmood, Azhar Iqbal, Ehsan Chaudhary, Umer Hayat, Malik Bashir, Liaqat Shah, Zafar Bangash, Asmatullah Niazi, and Karamat Shah, urged the government—particularly Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif—to intervene. They called for immediate action against PTV’s corrupt practices and demanded justice for senior citizens and pensioners who have been unfairly deprived of their rightful dues.