KARACHI: Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister on Information & Archives, Law & Anti-corruption, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has said that long-awaited issues of journalists will be resolved on priority basis by the Sindh government and Health Card Scheme will be implemented soon.

He expressed these views, speaking at a convention organised by Karachi Union of Journalists at Karachi Press Club. The convention was attended by large number of journalists.

During the convention, the agenda was to discuss a number of issues of the journalists, including salaries of workers of the print and electronic media. Non-payment of salaries to the journalists, termination from the jobs, abolition of contract system, health facilities to the journalists and establishment of 8th wage board award were also raised. It was discussed that the print and electronic media houses’ owners did not release salaries of journalists for five to six months due to which affected journalists were facing hardships and unable to support their families. Adviser to the Chief Minister Barrister Murtaza Wahab assured the journalists that he would take up the issues of media persons and would make efforts to resolve their problems on war footing basis.

He said that in the past, dummy newspapers were also obliged with the advertisement but now such newspapers were being black-listed and ads would be given transparently.

He asserted that Pakistan Peoples Party never compromised on the freedom of expression. “I have ordered Sindh Information Department for review of the advertisement policy and new policy will soon be approved by the Sindh Cabinet,” he said.—PR