KARACHI - Karachi Union of Journalists and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) on Tuesday jointly took out a rally from Karachi Press Club (KPC) and staged a sit-in at Governor House over unannounced media censorship and non-payment of salaries in media houses.
The protesters also submitted a memorandum to the governor house to fulfill their demands.
Speaking to the protesting journalist fraternity, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists Secretary General Ayub Jan Sarhandi said that the union would raise its voice against forced expulsion of journalists and other media industry employees and delay in salaries.
“We are also against this unannounced censorship and demands to end this and those who think that they could suppress the voice of journalists would face the same fate of failure as they had faced in the past,” he said.
He said that they were neither afraid through such tactics in past nor these would succeed to suppress their voice in future.
APNEC General Secretary Ubaidullah said that they would launch a joint struggle along with PFUJ and would not allow anyone to force out employees from their jobs.
He also called for implementation of eighth wage award and timely issuance of salaries to the employees.
KUJ President Faheem Siddiqui said that complaints were received from various media houses over non-issuance of several months’ salaries and such attitude could not be tolerated.
“Our protest will continue unless our demands are met,” he said.
Karachi Press Club President Ahmed Khan Malik said that media is the fourth pillar of the state but non-payment of salaries and unannounced censorship had deprived the workers and journalists in the important state pillar.
Leaders from different political parties including PPP, Jamaat-i-Islami, labour leaders, civil society organisations and several others also participated in the protest to support the cause of journalist organisations.