By: Aasi Islamabad
The towering buildings of Islamabad, the corridors of power, and the bureaucratic offices house rulers who seem oblivious to the fact that the very creators of news have now become the news themselves. The same journalists who once amplified the voices of others are now struggling to be heard as they fight for their unpaid salaries and dues. Those who once highlighted public issues to the authorities now find no one to address their own grievances.
Government funds were released fifteen to twenty days ago, yet regional media newspapers and journalists remain deprived of their rightful earnings. The question is, when the money is available, why is the payment delayed? Is this sheer negligence, or is it deliberate oppression?
Why This Injustice?
These are the same journalists who work tirelessly to communicate government policies to the public. They brave extreme weather conditions, bear personal expenses to attend press conferences, pay their own way to file reports, and sweat blood to edit and publish news. But when it comes to their rightful dues, they are merely handed the lollipop of “waiting.”
Meanwhile, government employees enjoy absolute ease—salaries paid on time, multiple bonuses throughout the year, allowances, and perks. Their faces radiate joy, their homes buzz with festive preparations, and their children celebrate in new clothes and shoes. But the journalists who document their stories live in despair, struggling to make ends meet.
“Are We Not Human?”
Many journalists in Islamabad are in severe financial distress due to unpaid wages. Some can’t pay their electricity bills, others have empty kitchens, and many fathers watch helplessly as their children plead for new clothes on Eid. A senior reporter confided in me, “Brother! I have a pen to write the news, but I don’t have money to buy milk for my children!”
Only those experiencing this agony can truly understand the pain. But for the government, this is a non-issue. These are the same so-called champions of the “State of Madinah,” where journalists must beg for their rightful earnings, where years of hard work yield nothing, and where the ruling elite’s apathy reaches new heights.
“When Will This Indifference End?”
Regional media journalists have always chosen to be the voice of the people. But today, their own cries fall on deaf ears. If the government truly upholds justice, it must immediately resolve these journalists’ issues—restore the smiles on their children’s faces, pay their overdue salaries, and ensure their festivities are not ruined.
Otherwise, remember this: when oppression exceeds its limits, it perishes. History has shown that when the truth is suppressed, a time comes when the oppressed shake the very foundations of power. There is still time—give journalists their due, or tomorrow, these very pens will become mirrors, forcing you to see your own reflection!