ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firodus Ashiq Awan said on Wednesday that the government was fully committed to resolving the problems of working journalists and would take all possible steps in this regard.
She was addressing the participants of a protest rally organised by Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) in front of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The minister said that all the demands of the journalists were justified and the government would take steps for resolution of their problems within a week. It is among the top pririorities of the government to ensure payment of outstanding salaries of employees of over a dozen media organizations by their owners, she added.
Dr Firdous said there was a need to make a mechanism for timely payment of salaries and other issues once for all and for this purpose all stakeholders should sit together to sort out the matter.
She made it clear that the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) led government was fully aware of the problems of media workers and wanted to help resolve their problems with the cooperation of media houses.
About payment of funds to the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), she said that the government paid the amount to them so that they could make arrangements for payment of salaries to their employees.
"President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has given clear directives that the problems of the working journalists should be resolved on priority", she said.
About payment of cheques for an injured journalist and an ailing media person, she said that the ministry had assured the presidents of various press clubs that both the cheques would be issued within a couple of days.
Principal Information Officer Salim Baig said that the PID was in contact with the newspaper owners for early payment of salaries, who had assured to take steps for the purpose.
President Pakistan Federal union of Journalists Pervaiz Shaukat and President RIUJ Waqar Satti demanded that steps should be taken for early payment of salaries and implementation of the Wage Board Award.
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