LAHORE: Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has ordered the owners of various media channels to appear before the Supreme Court on Monday (today) to enlighten the basis of non-payment of salaries to their employees, and no implementation of his orders.
A two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar led the hearing.
The chief justice issued the order at the Lahore registry of the Supreme Court on Sunday about non-payment of salaries by different media outlets. According to him, grave action would be taken against those owners who were not paying salaries to their workers.
He also suspended the orders to lay off journalists, and furthermore added, if any media house will not comply his orders will be in hot water, as strict actions will be taken against them.
Chief justice remarked, “Beg or borrow, but pay the journalists their salaries.”
Muhammad Asif Butt, Electronic Media Reporters Association President appeared before the court explaining that journalists are being laid off if they seek payment of salaries.
Justice Nisar perceived that media houses have to clear payments of their workers before Eidul Fitr in any case.
Later the chief justice told a number of media persons, that he had no post-retirement desires nor would he accept any office in future.
“I will make a formal announcement on my last day in the court that I do not need any office after retirement. For me no office is higher than that of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. So nobody should risk embarrassment by offering me any office after retirement,” CJP Saqib Nisar said.
He added he was not that kind of a judge who tried to become popular.