ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister (PM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Tuesday announced the 8th Wage Board Award (WBA) for journalists and assured that the government would take steps for its implementation this time.
Speaking at a press conference along with WBA Chairman Justice (r) Hasnaat Ahmad Khan, Firdous said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan had fulfilled the commitment made with journalist organisations and the government would protect rights of journalists through the wage award.
“Justice (r) Hasnaat Ahmad had finalised the award after holding meetings with more than 100 stakeholders,” she added.
Dr Firdous congratulated journalist organisations, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and regional press clubs on the success of their 18-year struggle for the wage award.
She said after 2001, an attempt was made to create controversy about the wage award. “The previous award was challenged in the court and was only restored by a court in 2011,” she noted.
She said the minimum salary of the journalists would be equal to the minimum wage announced by the government. “The wages of different categories of journalists would be raised by 145 per cent, 134 per cent, 129 per cent, 219 per cent, 240 per cent, 250 per cent, 267 per cent, 270 per cent, 359 per cent, 366 per cent and 384 per cent respectively,” she added.
The total amount of the award to be paid to the journalists would be Rs250 million.
Further, she said that the financial needs of the regional press were also taken care of.
The special assistant said it was a matter of satisfaction that journalist organisations were united for their cause and a comprehensive strategy would be adopted for the implementation of the award.
The WBA chairman said the way to implement the award was to link the payment of salaries of journalists with the issuance of the government advertisements to media houses.
