Why only Nukta, Mr. Minister? Media workers question government's selective support

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last month

The government’s job pledge for 37 laid-off Nukta staff sparks debate as Pakistan’s media industry faces mass layoffs, delayed wages, and widespread job insecurity.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The federal government’s promise to ensure employment for 37 laid-off staff members of the digital media platform Nukta has triggered criticism across Pakistan’s journalism community. Many are questioning why the Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, has extended support to one platform while hundreds of journalists remain jobless or unpaid across major media organizations.

Tarar, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, said all 37 Nukta employees who lost their jobs would receive appointment letters within 48 hours. He argued that digital journalists lacked institutional protection and representation. “Since there is no protection for digital media employees in the country, I announce jobs for all 37 employees of Nukta,” he said.

While the minister’s statement was welcomed as a gesture toward digital journalism, many media professionals and observers view it as selective sympathy. They point out that layoffs and pay delays have plagued Pakistan’s media industry for years, with little government intervention or relief.

The latest example comes from NewsOne Television, which has been struggling with internal turmoil, mass layoffs, and delayed salaries. Hundreds of other media workers have been laid off by other organizations, yet no official assurance has been given for their rehabilitation.

Critics argue that the government’s sudden support for Nukta raises fairness and transparency concerns. “If the state is now stepping in to protect media workers, why only Nukta?” one senior journalist questioned. “Hundreds of journalists across channels and newspapers have been unemployed for months, some without their dues. There’s been no talk of helping them.”

Media unions and press freedom advocates have called for a comprehensive policy to safeguard journalists, ensure timely payment of wages, and strengthen newsroom sustainability. They say ad-hoc promises to selected groups risk politicizing the issue and creating divisions within the media fraternity.

Observers suggest that instead of individual interventions, the government should prioritize long-term reforms, such as a national media support fund, transparent grant mechanisms for independent journalism, and legal protections for digital and traditional media workers alike.

The Nukta episode has reignited debate over the state’s role in the media economy. While digital platforms represent the future of journalism, critics insist that true media reform must address the broader crisis engulfing Pakistan’s newsrooms, where uncertainty, unpaid salaries, and fear of closure remain daily realities.