United Producers Association (UPA) sent a complaint letter to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to address the biggest concern regarding the Public News channel that has failed to pay dues on time.
UPA is the sole representative of the independent television content producers and official body of the advertising fraternity in Pakistan.
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The association posted the letter sent to the premier on its Twitter handle and asked him to address the issue that is being faced for a very long time.
According to the letter, the UPA representatives stated that despite several meetings and persistent reminders over the past three years, the owner of Public News channel Chaudhry Abdul Jabbar has been unresponsive over non-payment of salaries.
@UPAPakistan ’s official press release on the complaint letter sent to Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan against Sports Star International (Aplus Tv & Public News) against long outstanding of dues of Member Producers pic.twitter.com/pY0Kkvd2eO
— UPA – Pakistan (@UPAPakistan) June 22, 2021
Apart from the Public News, Abdul Jabbar is also the owner of Sport Star International and A-Plus TV.
The formal request added Jabbar owes around Rs 319 million to the members of the association.
The letter accused the owner that his channels have been earning millions through the content made by the UPA producers yet he stands tall with his unfulfilled commitments.
The body appealed to the prime minister to immediately look into the matter or else called for suspension of the rights of the channel.
Other than UPA, Geo News anchor Sarah Ilyas, who had been associated with Public News, raised her voice a month ago that her two-year salary is still pending with the channel.
The anchorperson shared the pamphlet of Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ), condemning delayed salaries and maintained that protests for this cause are useless.
I remember these lollipops were given to us every month when I was working at Public News. It’s been almost two years now, they haven’t paid mine and many other employees’ salaries. These protests are useless 👎👎 jinho ne paisay khaye hain mil k khaye hain pic.twitter.com/EjVMncNtkv
— Sarah Ilyas (@_SarahIlyas) May 24, 2021