The Wage Board Committee of All Pakistan Newspapers Society met in Karachi on April 12, 2004, under APNS President Arif Nizami and decided to avail and file Constitutional Petitions before the respective High Courts of the provinces to seek legal remedy to protect the newspaper industry from financial crisis accruing under the 7th Wage Board Award.
The Committee considered the available remedies arising out of the short order of the Supreme Court passed in APNS constitutional petition wherein the Court has inter alia stated that the petitioners may avail of appropriate remedy before the competent forum.
The members discussed their further strategy to be adopted by the Executive Committee and observed that the government should be urged to repeal the Newspaper Employees Act, 1973 so as to allow the newspaper industry to act as per the dynamics of the market forces.
The meeting was apprised of the talks the APNS had held in the past with the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Labour in this respect.
The meeting was attended by Arif Nizami, President, Muhammad Aslam Kazi, Secretary General, Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and Shahrukh Hassan (Jang), Zia Shahid (Khabrain), Arshad A. Zuberi (Business Recorder), Shafiq-ur-Rahman and Master Hoshang (Dawn).
Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Advocate, and Muhammad Humayon, Advocate, were also attended.-PR