Staff Report
LAHORE: Chairman of the Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees (ITNE), Shahid Mahmood Khokhar, on Wednesday issued strict orders to the management of all the concerned newspapers to ensure payment of outstanding salaries of their employees.
The ITNE Tribunal, on the second consecutive day, continued hearing cases pertaining to the pending salaries of media workers. While prioritizing the cases of deceased media workers, the tribunal issued verdicts in the cases of the late Khawaja Farukh Saeed and several other employees.
On the second of the ITNE Tribunal’s hearings, management officials of several newspapers appeared before the tribunal and ensured the immediate implementation of the tribunal’s orders.
During hearing, Punjab Union of Journalists (PUJ) (Dastoor) President Ibrahim Luki took the case of the union’s former president, the late Khawaja Farukh Saeed. The tribunal ordered Khawaja’s son’s succession certificate to be produced immediately.
ITNE Tribunal issues orders in several cases
The tribunal ordered the management of the concerned newspaper to pay the outstanding dues immediately. Otherwise, strict action will be initiated against the newspaper management.
In his remarks, the ITNE Chairman said that all the cases are being heard on priority bases to ensure justice; however, the cases of deceased employees are being given top priority.
During hearing, an elderly media worker appeared before the tribunal and said his outstanding dues were not cleared after retirement. He told the tribunal that he is compelled to live in a nursing home as he is not having his own house.
The tribunal immediately took up the case and was sent to the management of the concerned newspaper.
During hearing, Chairman ITNE said that the tribunal would review the cases on February 13 and 14, 2023, in which payment orders had been issued to the concerned newspapers.
