PFUJ Slams Removal of Employees From Nawa-i-Waqt Group

Posted on September 20, 2010 by ihrf

ISLAMABAD, Sept 18: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed concern and dismay over removal of two dozens senior media related employees from Urdu Daily “Nawa-i-Waqat” Lahore and English daily “Nation” Lahore without any notice and termed it a cruel and arbitrary act and a classic example of lawlessness.

According to the reports reaching the PFUJ Secretariat, the management of Nawa-i-Waqat group which also publishes English daily The Nation removed over two dozen employees and a majority of them were attached with these dailies for over two decades, in Lahore.

The sacked employees claimed that the management sacked them on the pretext that they have reached the age of superannuation, and hence their services are no more required.

Criticizing, the abrupt removal of the employees, the PFUJ pointed out that all the sacked employees were working in the group for years together and if at all they had reached the age of retirement, they should have been informed in advance so that they could have made arrangement for job to meet their livelihood.
It further pointed out that unfortunately the Nawa-i-Waqat Group claims itself to be a champion of human rights, and custodian of ideology of Pakistan and preacher of founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, but everyone is aware that the founder of Pakistan always advocated supremacy of law, humanity, equity, fair-play and justice.

How can the management justify its step by summarily removing over two dozen senior members of its publication without any prior notice, the PFUJ questioned.

As per cannons of justice and labour laws the group is under obligation to serve at least three months advance notice while taking such a drastic action it should pay three month wages along with removal order besides all their legitimate dues, including provident funds, gratuity, pension as per 7th Wage Board Award and other enabling laws applicable to the newspapers establishment, the PFUJ argued.

However, all such codal formulates were not fulfilled by the management which is crystal clear and indicates their malafide intention and callousness, the PFUJ asserted.

Castigating the management action, the PFUJ demanded that all the sacked employees be compensated forthwith with their legitimate arrears of the 7th Wage Board Award, and other accrued benefits as per labour laws as well as three months wages as a notice for removal.

The PFUJ warned that if legitimate dues were not paid to sacked media related employees of the Nawa-i-Waqat Group, the PFUJ would constrained to give a call of besieging the offices of the group throughout the country.

Shamsul Islam Naz