ISLAMABAD, Sept 4: Speakers at a seminar paid glowing tributes to late Nisar Osmani for his services for the cause of freedom of press and uplift of newspaper employees.

The seminar was jointly arranged by Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (Apnec) and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) in connection with the death anniversary of Nisar Osmani here on Thursday.

Acting president of Pakistan Muslim League-N Makhdoom Javed Hashmi presided over the seminar.

The speakers highlighted various aspects of the life of late Nisar Osmani and vowed to follow in his footsteps. They said Nisar Osmani was a staunch supporter of democracy and besides working for the betterment of the newspaper workers, he always played a central role in the movements for restoration of democracy in the country.

The speakers regretted that Nisar Osmani could not get attention of the government when he was seriously ill before his death despite the fact that he had sacrificed his personal and family life for the noble cause and uplift of truth. Nisar Osmani always upheld the truth and had to face several ordeals for this, they added.

Javed Hashmi remembered the time he had spent with the late Nisar Osmani in various protest demonstrations and seminars in Lahore. He also remembered the time he had spent with Nisar Osmani in a jail.

Mr Hashmi said persons like Nisar Osmani always encouraged those who were struggling for the rights of workers and labourers. Even for the politicians, he said, Nisar Osmani was a role model. Today, he said, the opposition was struggling for the supremacy of parliament and constitution and like Nisar Osmani, it was ready to face any hardship. He said if the politicians today made any compromise on the LFO, then the history and the nation would never forgive them.

The PML-N leader regretted that through the LFO the present assembly had been made a rubber-stamp. He said in no way the Schedule 6 could be accepted, as it would amount to putting chains on the freedom of expression.

He said several anti-labour and anti-people policies of the military government had been provided protection through the Schedule 6, and the opposition, therefore, could not accept the LFO.

Earlier, the RIUJ president and Apnec general secretary, Pervez Shaukat, announced to launch a countrywide movement for the implementation of the Seventh Wage Board Award for newspaper employees. He said the PFUJ and Apnec had made all preparations and the leaders and workers would present themselves for court arrest throughout the country.

The secretary general of the PFUJ, C. R. Shamsi, stressed the need for unity among the journalists and newspaper employees for the crucial time ahead.

Apnec Chairman Abdul Hamid Chhapra also remembered his 34- year-long association with Nisar Osmani and criticized the present trade union leaders for not emulating Nisar Osmani.