Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has remarked that the government should keep in mind that no compromise would be made on the wages of media employees and journalists.
He was presiding over a three-member bench of the Supreme Court (SC) during the course of hearing on the implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award (WBA) case on Tuesday.
“The government should keep in mind that no compromise will be made on the wages of media employees and journalists. Implementation of 7th WBA should be ensured at every cost,” he said.
The SC also sought a detailed report from the government on the practical implementation of the 7th WBA on March 26.
Advocate Afzal Siddiqui appeared in the court and said that the court’s orders on wage board award had been implemented, to which the CJP enquired if he was sure.
Siddiqui said certain important points needed arguments and that the 7th WBA would be implemented in its true letter and spirit and salaries would be paid accordingly, adding that it was a fact that certain media organisations were not paying up to the standard.
“It is best for the industry that the WBA is implemented so that the owners of the newspapers and workers develop a good relationship,” the CJP said, adding that 12 years had passed but the award was yet to be implemented.
Siddiqui said the salaries would be enhanced to which Justice Azmat said that some organisations were not even paying salaries regularly.
Siddiqui said there were two kinds of journalists, working and non-working, to which the CJ said, “If you will not give arguments, we will call Abdul Hafiz Pirzada.”
Fakhar, a reporter from a private TV channel, told the court that owners of private TV channels were not paying salaries and the newspapers were facing worse situation than the electronic media, adding that several employees had committed suicide over this issue.
Siddiqui said that the statement that salaries had not been disbursed was not correct.
Khalid Azim told the court that protests and rallies by the journalists were continuing outside the offices of newspapers and press club.
He requested the court the fix the date of a hearing, to which Siddiqui said that he would have to contact the quarters concerned for fixation of date.
The court adjourned the hearing until March 26 besides seeking a detailed report from the federal government with respect to the practical implementation of the 7th WBA.
