ALTAF HUSSAIN ASKS TV CHANNEL AND NEWSPAPER OWNERS TO GIVE SALARIES TO THEIR EMPLOYEES

KARACHI: 30TH MAY 2011:

The Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has asked the owners of newspapers and television channels to give salaries to their employees within one month. He said that if the salaries were not paid the MQM would demonstrate in front of the offices of newspapers and TV channels along with the representative associations of the journalists.

He was addressing at a reception being given in honour of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC). Office bearers of various other associations of press and electronic from different parts of the country were also present on the occasion.

Mr Hussain said that the 98 per cent of the journalists should get united and struggle for their rights. If they united the MQM would support them and would stand by them in every possible way. He said that only the poor cares for the poor while the rich cares for the rich. The MQM being a party of the poor and middle class people would support the 98 per cent journalists who were oppressed and had struggle even for their salaries.

Mr Hussain said that it were the hardworking journalists that were the driving force behind the success of TV channels and newspapers. They risked their lives in order to bring news but he added that the journalists were deprived of their rights because of lack of unity.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM had been the biggest supporter of the journalist fraternity. It was the MQM that got the resolutions for their rights passed in the parliament and it was the MQM that raised the issue of implementation of wage award at every level.

Earlier member of the Co-ordination Committee and In-charge Central Information Committee of the MQM Mr Wasay Jalil welcomed respected guests and thanked them for their arrival.

Mr Pervez Shaukat, president PFUJ said that the MQM had always supported the journalists in difficult times. He said that he was confident that the problems of the journalists would be solved with the efforts of the MQM and Mr Altaf Hussain.

Mr Afzal Butt, president National Press Club Islamabad said the MQM always extended help despite being a part of the government. He said that other political parties have lost touch with ideology. He said that the MQM and the journalists shared their struggle for the rights of the oppressed.

Mr Hassan Abbass, General Secretary of KUJ that the journalists were not given any pay raise for the past 11 years. He said that the MQM always gave help whenever we contacted them. Mr Altaf Hussain always raised a forceful voice for the rights of the journalist.

Chairman APNEC Mr Nasir Naqvi said that the MQM supported the journalists on the floor of the parliament. He said that the reporters and cameramen, technicians who had to face bullets in performance of their duties were not being given their rights. He thanked Mr Altaf Hussain for his support.