KARACHI, March 1: Commenting on the February 27, 2006, order of the Chairman of the Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees (ITNE), the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) has said that the constitutional question about the validity and vires of the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act 1973 and decisions given by successive wage boards were under comprehensive challenge through constitutional petitions pending in the Sindh High Court and the Lahore High Court.

An APNS statement said that member publications had already requested the ITNE chairman to defer proceedings pending before it for two months to enable the APNS to proceed with the adjudication of the constitutional petitions.

The APNS, it said, would soon move applications to the Sindh High Court for early disposal of the matter, if possible during the month of March 2006. “The prayer for suspension of proceedings pending before the ITNE shall also be pressed to avoid any conflict of decision in the interest of propriety”.