ISLAMABAD, April 2: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) and All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) have urged Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to ensure immediate implementation of the 7th Wage Award.

In a joint statement after a meeting of central leaders of the two apex bodies of newspapers employees, they said the previous government had met major demands of newspaper owners, including an increase in advertisement rates, five per cent cut on import duty and one per cent reduction in excise duties, on the assurance that they would implement the 7th Wage Award. But the award is yet to be implemented.

The statement also demanded constitution of the 8th Wage Board, under Newspapers Employees (Conditions of Service) Act, 1973. This act was the greatest gift of former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to newspapers employees and was passed unanimously by parliament.

The meeting decided that affiliated unions of the two organisations would start a campaign for immediate implementation of the wage award, by holding meeting of their general bodies.