KARACHI, Dec 15: Journalists and press workers belonging to different newspapers staged a peaceful rally in front of the Chief Minister's House on Tuesday evening to urge the government to implement the Seventh Wage Board award.

Carrying banners and placards in support of their demands, they raised slogans against newspapers owners for delaying the implementation of the award. The rally was organized by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec), Karachi; on the call of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and Apnec.

At the Chief Minister's House, a delegation of the KUJ and Apnec Karachi, led by PFUJ chairman Ahfazur Rehman, met the chief minister and briefed him on the grievances of journalists and press workers.

The delegation also brought to the notice of the chief minister what it called the non-implementation of labour laws in the newspapers industry and urged him to appoint labour inspectors to monitor the working conditions in the newspapers industry.

The chief minister assured the delegation that he would apprise the federal government of their grievances. So far as the matters pertaining to the provincial government were concerned, he said that he would issue necessary orders to the authorities for prompt action. Earlier, a general body meeting of the KUJ was held at the Karachi Press Club which was attended by a large number of journalists and press workers.