On July 30, the Peshawar High Court directed newspaper owners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to settle all outstanding salaries and dues of journalists and media employees within one month, warning of potential legal consequences in case of failure to comply.
A single-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ijaz Khan heard a petition filed by the Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) KP for the release of pending advertisement payments from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Department.
KP Advocate General Shah Faisal informed the court that so far 17 complaints of outstanding dues had been received, with statistics showing that some media employees reportedly earn only Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per month, well below the government’s minimum wage of Rs 45,000. Outstanding dues to journalists were estimated at around Rs 15 million.
The advocate general also highlighted the broader issue of labour rights within the media sector. It was noted that out of 113 newspapers on the provincial media list, only 56 had disclosed details of their employees, and minimum and maximum wages given to them.
AG Faisal said that regarding the outstanding dues to newspapers, the advertisement section of the information and public relations department had nearly completed the process of cross-checking cheques, which would be issued to CPNE with its record and the release would also likely be made “shortly.”
Justice Khan expressed deep concern over the reported low wages, emphasising the necessity for all employers to adhere to minimum wage laws, especially given the current cost of living. He indicated that non-compliance with minimum wage laws could lead to legal proceedings, referencing previous similar actions concerning labour rights violations.
The bench said that prior to passing any order it would give an opportunity to comply with the law regarding payment of minimum wages to employees.
The advocate general also suggested that salaries be paid through bank transactions to ensure transparency.
The next hearing has been fixed for September 7.
