Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday announced the 8th Wage Award for journalists and said salaries of media persons have 'scientifically' been increased in the new wage board award.

Addressing a press conference along with Chairman Wage Board former Justice Hasnaat Ahmad Khan, she said a comprehensive policy would be made for the implementation of 8th Wage Board Award. "The minimum salary of media persons in 8th wage board award is kept equivalent to the salaries announced by the government," she said.

She said the rights of journalists will be protected through the 8th Wage Board Award. Awan said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has fulfilled the commitment made with the journalist organisations. Former Justice Hasnaat Ahmad finalised the award after holding meetings with more than one hundred stakeholders, the special assistant said.

The minister said that since 2001, efforts had been made to create controversy about the wage award. The previous award was challenged in the court and it was only restored by a court in 2011, she noted.

Awan said that wages of different categories of journalists would be raised by 145 percent, 134 percent, 129 percent, 219 percent, 240 percent, 250 percent, 267 percent, 270 percent, 359 percent, 366 percent and 384 percent, respectively. The financial needs of the regional press clubs were also taken care of, she added. The total amount of the award to be paid to the journalists would be Rs 250 million, she said.

The chairman wage board said that the way to implement the award is to link the payment of salaries of journalists with issuance of advertisements of the government to media houses.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019