Senate wants wage award implemented

By Shahzad Raza

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution demanding implementation of the seventh wage board award in media organisations.

The government backed the resolution that was moved by Senator Raza Rabbani, the opposition leader in the Senate. Khalilur Rehman, the Senate deputy chairman, sent the matter to the Senate standing committee concerned, for further deliberations. The resolution said that government advertisements should only be given to newspapers and television channels that have implemented the seventh wage board award.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, the information minister, informed the house that around 80 percent of all public advertisements were given to six major groups in the media industry. He said some newspapers earned around Rs 10 million every Sunday through advertisements.

He told the house that the government would give Rs 200,000 to the families of each journalist killed in Wana and Rs 100,000 each would be given to injured journalists. He said the journalists’ widows would also be given plots in Islamabad.

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