KARACHI, June 19: The All Pakistan Newspapers Society has criticised a statement by the PFUJ and Apnec opposing any amendment to the Newspaper Employees Condition of Services Act and ruled out negotiations with employees representatives in the wake of the statement.

A press release said: “The APNS expresses its disappointment at the recent announcement by the leaders of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) which reject the necessity of either substantially amending or wholly repealing the Newspapers Employees (condition of services) Act 1973 (NECOSA).

“This means that the process initiated in the courts of law by us will be taken to its logical conclusion and that all matters as they stand can only be settled by the decision of the superior courts.”

Mr Hameed Haroon and Mr Muhammad Aslam Kazi, the president and secretary-general respectively of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society, further noted the opposition by the PFUJ and APNEC to any amendment or repeal of NECOSA-73 has “effectively quashed the recent government initiative to bring in a negotiated settlement to resolve this fundamental problem. The matter can only be resolved through courts of law”, the senior office-bearers of the APNS said.

“We brought this contentious matter to the notice of the superior courts because we are of the conviction that the fundamental rights guaranteed to the newspaper establishments under the Constitution are being contravened under the present law. A succession of governments have admitted that 35 years after the bringing in of NECOSA-73, the law has inhibited the growth and quality development of print media and has serious flaws,” the statement observed. “Both the Sixth and Seventh Wage Board Awards still remain under legal challenge. Now only a decision by the superior courts will provide a judicious solution to the problem. The question of conducting bilateral negotiation with the industry unions given their recent statement does not arise.”