Shamsul Islam Naz
Pro-people government ignored newspapers workers
Islamabad, June 23- The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed its anguish and dismay over passage of special relief for print media on demand of All Pakistan Newspapers Society worth billion of rupees while the media persons were all together ignored despite who were passing very tough days owing to escalation of prices to manifold. The Secretary General of PFUJ Mr. Shams ul Islam Naz in a statement issued here on Tuesday said that present government claims to be the representative of the downtrodden and oppressed masses including the journalists as well as newspaper industry workers announced a bailout package for the multimedia tycoons and their parent organization — the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) through amendments in the Finance bill of 2009 on Monday evening and proved it has no sympathy with oppressed and depressed classes.
Commenting the passage of Finance bill of 2009, whereby, the Excise Duty on classified advertisements had almost been withdrawn while a 16 per cent levy on non-classified ads would be borne by the advertisement agencies which would ultimately be paid by those companies and private parties and persons willing to display the ads in the newspapers and electronic media i.e. television channels. Besides, the withholding tax on newsprint, the paper used in production of a newspaer, has also been abolished. Henceforth instead of 16 per cent General Sales Tax on newsprint import, the media magnates have to pay only a nominal five percent custom duty. The PFUJ contented that federal government itself conceded that media magnates would benefit billions of rupees through this amendment, aimed at to giving a booster to the flourishing newspaper industrial tycoons of Pakistan.
These amendments, “Carried out much against the demands of the PFUJ, the apex body of the journalists, which is struggling to get the 7th Wage Award implemented, denied to the newspaper industry workers, including the journalists, since 1st July 2000. It further said that the APNS refused to implement the award on the grounds that the newspaper industry would economically collapse if the 7th Award is implemented. The claim of the APNS big- wigs became unfounded with the establishment of electronic media channels led by Jang group’s Geo, Dawn’s Dawn News, Business Recorder’s Aaj TV channel, and a number of other channels in Pakistan. Besides this the Media Owners had already availed at least six relief packages since the announcement of 7th wage award from government on false pretext that they will implement award. Even readers were burdened by newspapers owners by increase the rate of advertisement, prices of newspapers, as well reducing the size and length of papers to considerable extent saving million of rupees on daily basis.
The PFUJ, off and on, had been demanding of to link government ads with the implementation of 7th wage award but the PPP government headed by group of mediocre leaders running helter skelter to save their ministries in the absence of Shaheed Mohatarma Benazir Bhutto. The journalists of the world must come forward to protect the journalists and newspaper industry workers of Pakistan — majority of who are working on the wages of 1996 and in an inhuman working environment where laws exist but need proper implementation. The PFUJ said the step motherly treatment committed with media persons can be judged from this factor right from 1996-1997 on each financial year in budget. The salaries of all the government employees and other sector are being increased from 15-20 percent while forth coming fiscal years government announced 20percent increase in salary of al its employees. In this entire process in enhancement of wages for more than decade the Newspapers employees were ignored owing to pressure of media owners. This is nothing but classic example of discrimination which is against constitution of Pakistan, universal human rights declaration and Security Council resolutions for economic distribution of resources on basis of equity and fairly, PFUJ concluded.
Shamsul Islam Naz
Secretary General
Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
