ISLAMABAD, Feb 18: Chairman, Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees (ITNE), Justice Javed Nawaz Gandapur on Sunday said the Tribunal would play its role in implementation of the 7th Wage Board Award and resolving newspaper industry problems.

In an interview with APP, the Chairman ITNE called upon the authorities to take stock of the problems facing the industry so that the Wage Award is implemented in letter and spirit.

The chairman, said the owners also have grievances and to pave way for effective implementation of the Wage Award, the concerned authorities should ensure that there is no discrimination.

“The newspapers should be categorized in accordance with circulation and the advertisements should be ‘money wise’ so that none of the newspapers is treated step-motherly,” he pleaded.

He also called upon the owners to give employees their due share and said, “if they earn a sufficient amount, they should also sympathetically consider the needs of the employees.”

When asked about the ITNE’s role, Gandapur said, “the Tribunal will go by the law for implementation of the Wage Award. My job is to get the Award implemented.”

He said so far nobody has moved the Tribunal and as soon as any body seeks ITNE’s role, it will proceed accordingly.

Gandapur dispelled the impression that ITNE was against the newspaper owners. “We always go by the law and there are decisions in favour of the owners,” he said.

He advocated more powers for ITNE to resolve the newspaper industry problems. “Not only its existence but also vesting more powers with the ITNE, would help make the Tribunal more potent and resolve the industry problems.”—APP