RIUJ slams Abb Takk News over forced layoffs and unpaid salaries

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 25 August 2025 |  JP Staff Report

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists has criticized Abb Takk News for forced layoffs and non-payment of salaries. They emphasize the violations of labor laws and the impact on employees' livelihoods.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) has strongly condemned forced layoffs and the non-payment of staff salaries at Abb Takk News Television, calling the situation a violation of both labor laws and basic human rights.

In a statement, RIUJ President Tariq Ali Virk, General Secretary Asif Bashir Chaudhry, and members of the union’s general body criticized the channel’s management for allegedly paying employees below the government-mandated minimum wage. They further noted that even these wages were often delayed for several months, pushing staff into financial distress.

The union leaders highlighted that Abb Takk management had failed to revise or enhance staff salaries for years, despite the sharp rise in inflation. This, they said, had made it nearly impossible for employees to support their families or meet basic living expenses.

The RIUJ warned that if terminated employees were not reinstated and pending salaries were not paid immediately, the journalist community would resort to countrywide protests, demonstrations, and legal action.

Journalists’ organizations across Pakistan have long raised concerns about the worsening working conditions in the media industry, including delayed wages, job insecurity, and shrinking press freedoms. Media workers argue that such practices not only violate labor rights but also undermine independent journalism by leaving professionals vulnerable to exploitation.