By our correspondent
KARACHI: Media employees are facing growing financial strain following the suspension of government advertising to Dawn newspaper, according to journalist and workers’ representatives who have urged authorities to restore the flow of ads immediately.
The representatives warned that the move has unsettled livelihoods across one of Pakistan’s most established media institutions. The concern was voiced during a joint meeting of the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation and the Karachi Union of Journalists, held at Dawn’s union office in Karachi.
Participants said the suspension of advertising revenue had created significant pressure on thousands of media workers, many of whom were already grappling with rising costs of living and broader economic uncertainty.
The meeting, chaired by APNEC leader Shakeel Yamin Kanga, focused on what speakers described as an increasingly precarious environment for newspaper employees, particularly those dependent on stable payrolls in an industry facing structural financial stress.
Several contributors warned that the disruption in government advertising had directly affected job security and household incomes, deepening anxieties among staff.
Kanga pledged collective efforts to address the concerns raised by workers and reiterated support for Dawn’s union leadership, including its secretary general Qalbe Ali.
He also called on authorities to ensure timely salary payments across media organizations and to introduce safeguards that would protect employees from financial instability triggered by policy decisions affecting advertising flows.
Those present included Tahir Hassan Khan, Liaquat Kashmiri, Qalbe Ali, Dara Zafar, Rana Yousaf, Obaidullah, Muhammad Irfan Ali, Imran Ayub, Saeed Mohiuddin, Saleemullah Siddiqui, Osama Abbasi, Imtiaz Khan Farhan, Naatullah Bukhari and others.
