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PUJ warns Samaa over feared layoffs, staff anxiety
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 7 May 2026 | JP Staff Report
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PUJ warned Samaa News against layoffs and salary cuts tied to an evaluation process, saying staff face fear and uncertainty and threatening protests if dismissals happen; the union also urged payment of dues and support for a deceased employee's family.Summary
LAHORE — The Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) has warned Samaa News management against possible layoffs and salary cuts linked to an ongoing “third-party evaluation” process, saying the move has created fear and uncertainty among employees.
In a statement issued from Lahore, the PUJ Executive Council said it would launch protests and could surround Samaa News offices if management proceeded with measures that resulted in dismissals or financial reductions for staff members.
Concerns grow over staff insecurity
The union’s statement also expressed grief over the death of Samaa News employee Moeezuddin, who reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage amid fears about possible job losses. The PUJ called on the broadcaster to provide financial support and clear all outstanding dues owed to his family.
The claims regarding the circumstances surrounding the employee’s death were made by the union and have not been independently verified by JournalismPakistan.
PUJ President Naeem Hanif, General Secretary Qamarulzaman Bhatti, Senior Vice President Khurram Pasha, Vice President Sher Ali Khalti, Joint Secretaries Khalid Rashid and Talal Ishtiaq, Treasurer Jawad Hassan Gul, and members of the Executive Council accused the management of creating uncertainty among workers through the evaluation process.
Union threatens protests
According to the statement, many employees who had joined Samaa News from other media organizations were initially offered favorable career prospects and assurances by the company’s human resources department. The union alleged that the current evaluation exercise had instead left staff fearing dismissals and salary reductions.
Bhatti warned that the PUJ would escalate protests if the broadcaster continued what he described as attempts to pressure employees through the evaluation process. The union also urged the Samaa owner and Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan to intervene personally, review the situation, and ensure job security for workers.
The PUJ Executive Council further said it would resist similar layoff-related measures in other Pakistani media organizations, reflecting broader concerns within the country’s media sector over economic instability, shrinking revenues, and newsroom restructuring.
Pakistan’s media industry has faced repeated financial pressures in recent years, with several organizations reducing staff, delaying salaries, or restructuring operations amid declining advertising revenues and digital disruption. Journalists’ unions have increasingly raised concerns about the impact of job insecurity on newsroom morale and professional independence.
WHY THIS MATTERS: The dispute highlights growing anxiety in Pakistan’s media industry over layoffs, restructuring, and unstable working conditions in newsrooms. For journalists and media organizations, the episode underscores how economic pressure and uncertainty can affect staff morale, mental well-being, and newsroom stability, while also intensifying tensions between unions and management.
ATTRIBUTION: Reporting by JournalismPakistan, based on publicly available statements issued by the Punjab Union of Journalists on May 6, 2026.
PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes only.
Key Points
- The PUJ has warned Samaa News management against layoffs and salary reductions linked to an evaluation process.
- The union says the process has created fear and uncertainty among employees.
- PUJ threatened to protest and surround Samaa's offices if dismissals or pay cuts proceed.
- The union raised concerns about the reported death of employee Moeezuddin and demanded dues and support for his family.
- PUJ leaders held the management responsible for the growing anxiety among staff.
Key Questions & Answers
What is the PUJ's main concern?
The Punjab Union of Journalists is concerned about feared layoffs and salary cuts at Samaa News linked to an evaluation process, which it says has caused staff fear and uncertainty.
What actions has the union threatened?
The PUJ has threatened protests and said it could surround Samaa News offices if the management proceeds with dismissals or financial reductions affecting staff.
What did the union say about the employee who died?
The union expressed grief over the reported death of employee Moeezuddin, called for financial support and demanded that the broadcaster clear outstanding dues owed to his family.
Have the management's actions been independently verified?
JournalismPakistan reports the union's claims; the circumstances and allegations regarding the evaluation process and the employee's death have not been independently verified by the outlet.
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