ISLAMABAD, April 2: Information Secretary Syed Anwar Mehmood said on Wednesday the government did not intend to amend the Newspaper Employees (Condition of Service) Act 1973.

This he stated while talking to All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation chairman Abdul Hamid Chhapra.

The All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation chairman drew the attention of the information secretary to the statement of Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, counsel for All Pakistan Newspapers Society in the Seventh Wage Board Award case being heard by the Supreme Court.

Mr Pirzada had stated on Tuesday that the government was considering amending the Newspaper Employees Act 1973 for classification of employees into journalists and non-journalists. Mr Chhapra said Mr Pirzada’s statement had created unrest among newspaper employees across he country.

The information secretary said no individual had the right to become spokesman for the government.

About the implementation of the 7th Wage Award, he said the matter was in the court of law and the government was bound to obey the court order.