ISLAMABAD: The Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE) has disposed of the cases after ensuring full payment of Rs 171 million to petitioners, a statement said on Wednesday.
According to the statement issued by the tribunal, cases of more than 154 journalists were disposed of from 17-10-2022 to 3-1-2024 after payment of Rs. 171,258,936.
In November 2023, the Islamabad High Court also disposed of the petitions filed by journalists against ITNE for payment of their dues under the Wage Board Award. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb disposed of the petitions after the settlement of the matter.
The Implementation Tribunal of Newspapers Employees (ITNE) in year 2022 took a suo moto notice on the implementation of the 8th Wage Board Award for journalists.
ITNE Disposes of Cases After Payment of Rs. 171,258,936 to Petitioners
Earlier, the then information minister had informed the Parliament that to safeguard the rights of newspaper employees, the Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE) had managed to recover Rs140 million within nine months, facilitating payments of salaries.
The minister said that in some cases the PID had made direct payments from the advertisement bills of those newspapers who could not pay the salaries to the suffering employees.
The Implementation Tribunal for Newspaper Employees (ITNE) was established in 1976 after adding a clause in the Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973.
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The function of the Tribunal is to implement the Award of the Wage Board for journalists and non-journalists. So far eight Wage Board Awards have been announced.
The Tribunal makes efforts to decide the pending cases within the shortest possible time by observing procedure prescribed under the law.
It also ensures to decide pending matters within shortest possible time to recover the money due under the orders of the Tribunal.
