Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) wishes to forward to you the following press release from PFUJ.
Asian Human Rights Commission
Hong Kong
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A Press Release from Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
PAKISTAN: Media workers not paid salaries even on Eid
Islamabad, Sept 10:- The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ)has reiterated that although according to Islamic traditions “Eidul Fitr” is a day of joy and happiness, but even on such an august festival, the media persons all over the country are gloomy in the wake of devastation caused by floods, deaths of more than 1800 people, and destruction of more than 300 houses of media persons and killing of one female journalist due to floods, in addition to constant denial of legitimate salaries and wages for the last 11 years, killing of more than 61 media persons while on duty and demise of senior journalists and trade unionists.
with worst kind of economic constrains because a large number of media houses, especially SindhTV, Merhan TV, Business Plus TV, Prime T.V, Mashriq T.V., Aks T.V.,A Plus, Dhoom T.V. Din-News T.V., Royal News T.V., Good News T.V., Roshni T.V., Raung, T.V., Awaz TV, Channal 5, Dharti T.V.,Punab T.V. Star Asia,Rohi T.V, Awan T.V., News TV, Kashish T.V., KTN News T.V. Sujawal T.V., Apana T.V., Waseb TV, Kook TV., DM Digital, Daily Pakistan, Daily Jinnah, Daily Aajkal, Daily Times, Daily Din, Khabrain, Daily Mukadama, Daily Leader, Daily Kainat, Daily Baluchistan Times, Daily Tamir-e-Sindh, Daily Nousjj, Karachi, Daily Such, Karachi, Daily Dafah Karachi, Daily Larkana Times, Daily Dawate Amal, Daily Muslim Peshawar, Daily Taraqi Quetta, Daily Sadai Potohar, Daily Janbaz, Daily Sadia Pakistan Bahawlpur, and Daily Alhaq, Peshawar, have again kept up the tradition of depriving their workers of payments of their alaries and other benefits for months which is highly deplorable.
The PFUJ pointed out that normally special bonuses are paid to workers on the eve of the Eid. But that the media workers are so unfortunate, that they are not even paid their salaries for months together.
The PFUJ reminded that during the last two years more than six hundred electronic and print media workers had been kicked out of their jobs during the last two years by the media owners whose dependents are passing a life of abject penury and agony and their children are forced to starve.
Likewise, sacrifices of those media persons who laid down their lives should not be forgotten.
The PFUJ regretted that the cruelty meted out to media persons by media tycoons should have warranted attention of the government and the judiciary, but they are keeping a silence as a result wage award is being delayed, which was supposed to be implemented with effect from Ist July 2000.
The PFUJ appealed to the whole nation and media related organizations, lawyers, intellectuals, democracy lovers and civil society to take notice of the cruelty and highhandedness of media owners of Pakistan who in open violations of Constitutional norms, rules regulations and moral obligations have deprived their workers of their legitimate wages and rights, and were not issuing appointment letters, descriptions of duties, insurance cover during duty, training, and safety gadgets in hazardous areas and non provision of compensation in cases of deaths, injuries.
The PFUJ urged the world organizations to take notice of the attitude of media owners and denounce the same and express solidarity with the media persons of Pakistan.
Shamsul Islam Naz
Secretary General
PAKISTAN FEDERAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS
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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
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