On November 5, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar informed the National Assembly that the government was taking all possible measures to safeguard the rights of media workers. His statement followed a walkout by reporters from the Parliament’s Press Gallery over the recent dismissal of media employees by certain media houses.
The minister said that the matter of unlawful dismissals would be discussed in a scheduled meeting next week with representatives of the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS). He assured the assembly that the government would devise a permanent solution to address the issue.
Tarar also announced that journalists whose services were terminated by the digital media platform Nukta would be re-employed within 48 hours. He added that the government was committed to ensuring job security for journalists and preventing unfair dismissals.
Nukta, a Dubai-headquartered digital media outlet launched last year, recently laid off 37 employees in Pakistan as part of an organisational restructuring. The company cited financial difficulties as the reason for the layoffs. The media organisation, owned by property tycoon Malik Riaz, stated that the decision was made to ensure long-term sustainability.
In a statement, Nukta said the layoffs were a difficult but necessary step and expressed gratitude to the affected employees for their contributions. It added that it hoped to rehire the dismissed journalists in the future once financial conditions improve. Sources said that Nukta had previously hired a large number of staff at higher-than-market salaries, which contributed to financial pressure on the company.
Minister Tarar said that he had also met with a delegation of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) to discuss the matter. During the meeting, he emphasized that while media organisations must manage their finances responsibly, employees should not face sudden job losses.
Regarding the recent police raid on the National Press Club in Islamabad, the minister said that a detailed report on the incident would be finalised later. He assured journalists that the government remained committed to protecting their rights and ensuring accountability in such matters.
