The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has urged all democratic forces to shun their differences, and forge unity to fight terrorism and restore peace, as ethnic prejudices, biases and hatred would lead the nation nowhere. "By forging unity, we can fight terrorism and guarantee peace and tranquillity in the country as well as in the region.
"United we can eliminate poverty and work for the well-being of the teeming millions, especially the working classes, thus ensuring dignity, respect, honour, grace and acceptance of legitimate rights of every individual which are a prerequisite for peace and harmony. Also there is a need to inculcate a spirit of live and let live," the PFUJ said in a statement on the occasion of International Day of Peace.
The UN General Assembly by its resolution 52/282 had declared September 21 as an International Day of Peace. It declared that the Day shall, henceforth, be observed as a day of global cease-fire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities throughout the day."
To commemorate this day, it is imperative that everyone should play a role for bringing prosperity, and for ensuring opportunities of employment, bread and butter, shelter and remuneration of services rendered by individuals as per law.
On this International Day of Peace, we must respect each other on the basis of equality, and we should make efforts for peace. But it is only possible when rights of workers are respected whole-heartedly, it said.
The PFUJ said when we are observing International Peace Day and celebrating Eidul Fitr, media persons were suffering economically as they were being suppressed and constantly denied their lawful benefits under the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, and the 7th Wage Award, constituted under the Act, was being delayed for the last nine years.
"Happiness and peace in lives is part and parcel of peace, and it was possible when those at the helm of affairs realise their responsibilities, and steps are taken to ensure payment of lawful remunerations to workers, ensuring conducive working environment, protecting their rights, and saving them from starvation," the PFUJ argued.
The PFUJ further said that without peace, there is very little hope for improvement in the life of ordinary people and media persons, and also there was little hope to escape poverty. Often those who work on behalf of the powerless are targeted. Journalists, medical professionals, humanitarian workers and peace keepers have all found themselves under attack in the conflict areas, where over two dozens media persons alone have lost their lives after 9/11, the PFUJ added.
The media workers are in a state of shock and sadness as media barons, since July I, 2000, have not bothered to implement the Wage Award for which there are resolutions of the four provincial assemblies, the National Assembly and the Senate of Pakistan.
All those forces, which are stakeholders in bringing peace and tranquillity in the country, should support the media persons for their just demand of implementation of the 7th Wage Award, and extending all monetary benefits in consonance with prevalent price-hike.
On the International Day of Peace and Eidul Fitr, once again the media persons in Pakistan are without jobs, there is no mandatory life or health security, no conducive working environment, and they have been deprived of all types of basic rights admissible under labour laws and the wage board, the PFUJ lamented.
If no sincere remedial measures are taken to resolve the problems of media persons and for bringing the media owners to justice, the entire press workers would be constrained to come on the roads for direct action to press for their demands, the PFUJ warned.
Comments
Comments are closed.