Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday said the government was taking concrete measures to resolve long-standing issues faced by journalists and media workers, emphasizing that their protection and welfare remained his top priority.
Speaking on the floor of the National Assembly, the minister expressed concern over the dismissal of journalists by several media organisations without prior notice or valid justification.
He said the issue would be raised during a meeting with media owners scheduled for next week.
“We have ensured that timely payments are made to media houses, and we expect that these financial benefits will also reach working journalists and media staff,” he said.
Tarar informed the House that a delegation of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) – including Afzal Butt, Badar Abbas, and Asif Bashir Chaudhry – had met him to present a charter of demands. “These demands will be discussed with media owners, including the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS), in the upcoming meeting to find a lasting solution,” he added.
Referring to recent layoffs, the minister announced that all journalists dismissed from the Nukta platform would be reinstated within 48 hours. “They will be respectfully re-employed,” he assured.
Commenting on the recent attack at the National Press Club (NPC), Tarar said, “I had stated earlier that an attack on the NPC is like an attack on my own home.”
He added that discussions with the Interior Minister were underway and a report on the incident would be presented by Thursday.
The minister reaffirmed that all major journalist bodies – including PBA, APNS, CPNE, PFUJ, and NPC – were part of his “constituency,” and that addressing their concerns was his foremost responsibility. “We will ensure full protection of journalists’ rights,” he added.
Earlier, talking to media persons who had walked out from the House proceedings, Tarar said that all formalities regarding the establishment of the Journalist Protection Commission had been completed. “We have received nominations from journalist unions and organizations across the country, and the commission will become fully operational by next week,” he added.