Radio Pakistan employees protest against govt decision to lease out PBC HQs'

Country’s national broadcasting corporation Radio Pakistan has reached the edge of its financial crisis as nearly 1,000 contract-based employees stand deprived of their monthly salaries for the months of June and July.
According to media reports, despite the orders of the Supreme Court (SC), contract-based and causal wages employees of the Radio Pakistan could not obtain their monthly salaries of June and July. Sources said that almost one thousand contract-based employees of Radio Pakistan were not even paid their monthly salaries of July.
On the other hand, an official notification for the payment of their salaries till August 17 from government of Pakistan has already been issued, while for contract-based employees, the apex court had issued a ruling for the payment of salaries till August 1, however, the corporation’s management didn’t react to the ruling.
Contract-based employees of Radio Pakistan have also been denied gazetted holidays, the reports added.
It has become a casual routine for Radio Pakistan to delay the payment of monthly salaries of casual and contract0based employees.
The workers have requested Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar to take suo motu notice regarding their pending cheques.
Employees of Radio Pakistan on Monday held a peaceful demonstration in Islamabad and other Units of the organization across the country in protest against the decision of the government to lease out Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation Headquarters building.
Employees of all the wings of the national broadcaster participated in the demonstrations and demanded the government to withdraw its decision.
They said Radio Pakistan is a historical institution projecting the soft image of the country across the world.
Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain also held talks with the representatives of Radio Pakistan's protesting employees regarding the Ministry's proposal to give building of Radio Pakistan's headquarters on lease and shifting of National Broadcasting House to Pakistan Broadcasting Academy in H-9 Islamabad.
Later, the minister said the headquarters is not being shifted within a month. He said the employees will be consulted regarding the issue.
Chaudhry Fawad said institutions cannot grow until employees are satisfied with their working conditions.
Earlier, PPP leaders including Senator Farhatullah Babar, Khurshid Shah, Nafisa Shah and former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb visited the protesting employees of Radio Pakistan and expressed solidarity with them.
They said Radio Pakistan is a national institution and it needs to be strengthened.
Talking to media on the occasion, Marriyum Aurangzeb urged the government to avoid taking this step.  She said the opposition will support the government for reforms but nothing should be done against the interest of national institutions.
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