Pakistan's Media Workers Deserve Long-Overdue Pay Rise, says IFJ

 

Media Release: Pakistan                                                                                November 11, 2008

 

Pakistan’s Media Workers Deserve Long-Overdue Pay Rise, says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins journalists and media workers in Pakistan in calling on Pakistan’s Government to honour a commitment made by President Asif Zardari in March to ensure implementation of wage rises for newspaper employees which have been stalled since 2001.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), an IFJ affiliate, and the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees’ Confederation (APNEC) called this week for journalists and media workers to join rallies across the country on November 26 to pressure media owners to implement the 7th Wage Award, constituted under the Pakistan Working Journalists’ Act, and to urge the Government to constitute an 8th Wage Board, which is overdue by two years.

Pakistan’s National Assembly, Senate and all four provincial assemblies have unanimously passed resolutions in support of the wage award for newspaper employees.

However, media bosses continue to renege on their legal obligation to grant pay rises to their employees.

“It is appalling that Pakistan’s media employers have refused for so long to grant legally endorsed pay rises to their staff especially as the same staff are often required to report in extremely dangerous conditions and on issues which can put them at great risk,” IFJ-Asia Pacific said.

 

“It is time for the Government to act to ensure employers show due respect for the hard work of journalists and media workers by granting their wage increases as required by law.”

 

Pakistan’s two leading bodies representing newspaper employees will also observe November 12 as a day of protest against the killing of journalist Qari Mohammad Shoaib in Swat valley, north-west Pakistan, on November 8.

 

Shoaib, 32, a reporter for Azadi and Khabar Kar, was shot dead in Mingora by security forces. Reports indicate he was fired on directly when he did not stop his vehicle when signalled to do so. The PFUJ said there was no justification for the shooting of Shoaib, while the security forces admitted that he was killed “by mistake".

The IFJ joins the PFUJ and APNEC in calling on authorities to suspend immediately the officials involved in Shoaib’s killing, and to establish an independent inquiry and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Shoaib is the third journalist to be killed in the conflict-ridden region this year. In late August, Abdul Aziz was murdered during an attack by Pakistan forces on a Taliban hideout in Swat, where he was being held hostage. In May, Mohammad Ibrahim was killed by unknown militants in Bajaur, in the Federally Administered Tribal Area north of Swat.

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0919

 

The IFJ represents over 600,000 journalists in 120 countries worldwide