IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PAKISTAN 
(Original Jurisdiction) 
 
 
PRESENT: MR. JUSTICE MIAN SAQIB NISAR, HCJ 
MR. JUSTICE UMAR ATA BANDIAL 
MR. JUSTICE IJAZ UL AHSAN 
 
SUO MOTU CASE NO. 5 OF 2018 
REGARDING PAYMENT OF OUTSTANDING SALARIES TO 
REPORTERS/WORKERS OF PRINT AND ELECTRONIC 
MEDIA. 
 
 
 
In attendance: 
 
Rose TV 
Sahibzada Ahmed Raza Qasuri, Sr. ASC 
 
 
Channel -7 
Mr. Naeem Bukhari, ASC. 
 
 
Express TV & Daily Express  
Mr. Tariq Aziz, AOR. 
 
 
Capital TV 
Mr. Faisal Hussain, ASC 
 
 
Daily Times and Daily TV  
Mr. Ali Masood Hayat, ASC. 
Sachal TV  
(in CMA 2362/18) 
Barrister Masroor Shah, ASC 
Channel-5 
 
Ms. Shaista Altaf, ASC. 
Mr. Zia Shahid 
 
 
(CMA 2320/2018) 
Qazi Sheryar Iqbal, ASC.  
 
 
(CMA 2188/2018) 
Mr. Qausain Faisal Mufti, ASC.  
 
 
Bol TV 
Mr. Sami Ibrahim, Director News 
 
 
Kashish TV 
Mr. Abdul Jabbar, Regional Manger 
 
 
Daily Jinnah  
Mr. Shamshad Ahmed, Chief Editor 
 
 
Rose Channel  
Mr. Inayatullah Khan, G.M. 
Mr. Raza Abid Mustafa, Chief Reporter 
 
 
Nawa-i-Waqt group 
 
For SC Reporters Association 
Mr. Matiullah Jan 
 
Tayyab Baloch, Reporter 
 
Geo TV  
 
HRC No.8468-P/2018 
 
(on Court’s call) 
 
 
Mr. Salar Janjua, Director HR 
 
Syed Afaq Zaidi  
 
Mr. Waqar Ahmed Rana, Addl. AGP 
Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Secretary Information  
 
 
Date of Hearing:  
04.04.2018 
ORDER  
 
 
Pursuant to our order directing Media houses to 
provide information about unpaid salaries of their employees, the 
following information has been provided: - 
SMC 5/2018 
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2. 
 
Channel-7: Learned counsel representing Channel-7 
concedes that payment of salaries for some months were overdue 
to the employees. However, he categorically states that now those 
have been paid. No employee came forward to contradict the above 
assertion. Therefore, proceedings against Channel-7 are dropped. 
However, it is directed that in case the salary of any of its employee 
is still outstanding, the same must be paid within a period of 15 
days.  
 
3. 
 
Rose TV:  Learned counsel representing Rose TV 
states that no salary of any of its employees is outstanding. This 
fact is also affirmed by Mr. Raza Abid Mustafa, Chief Reporter Rose 
TV and not contested by any of the persons present in Court. 
Therefore, proceedings against Rose TV are also dropped. However, 
it is directed that in case the salary of any of its employee is still 
outstanding, the same must be paid within a period of 15 days. 
 
4. 
 
Capital TV: Learned counsel representing Capital TV 
states that there are 315 employees working in the channel and 
salaries to all the employees have been paid till the month of 
January, 2018. However, salaries for the months of February and 
March, 2018 shall be paid till 30.04.2018. Let all salaries due be 
paid by 30.04.2018 without fail and a certificate in this regard 
along with an affidavit of the owner of the said TV channel be 
placed on record confirming that all salaries due to its employees 
have been paid. Accordingly, proceedings against Capital TV are 
dropped.  
5. 
 
Channel-5: Learned counsel representing Channel-5 
states that salaries have been paid to all the employees and there 
is no outstanding salary of any employee. However, Syed Afaq Zaidi 
has filed a complaint (H.R.C. No.8468-P/2018) stating therein that he 
SMC 5/2018 
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is an ex-employee of the said TV channel and has not been paid 
his dues. Let him provide details of his dues to Mr. Zia Shahid. He 
undertakes that he will look into the matter and redress the 
grievance of the applicant. He shall also apprise the Court in this 
regard. Therefore, proceedings against Channel-7 are dropped.  
 
6. 
 
Daily Jinnah: Mr. Shamshad Ahmed, Chief Editor 
Daily Jinnah has appeared and stated that all salaries of its 
employees have been paid till March, 2018 and nothing is 
outstanding. Further, that salaries are paid to employees on 10th of 
each month (i.e. the salary of the month of April shall be paid on 10.05.2018). 
This statement is not controverted by any person present in Court. 
Proceedings against Daily Jinnah are accordingly dropped.  
 
7. 
 
Sachal TV: Learned counsel representing Sachal TV 
states that no salary of any of its employees is outstanding. This is 
not contested by any person present in Court. Therefore, 
proceedings against Sachal TV are also dropped.  
 
8. 
 
Express TV & Daily Express: Learned counsel 
representing Express TV channel and Daily Express newspaper 
states that no salary of any employee is outstanding against the TV 
channel or the newspaper. This version is not contested by any 
person present in Court. Therefore, proceedings against Express 
TV and Daily Express are also dropped.  
 
9. 
 
Daily Times and Times TV: Learned counsel 
representing Daily Times TV and newspaper states that all 
outstanding salaries of employees shall be cleared by 30.04.2018 
except those with whom there is some litigation pending before the 
Courts. On the basis of the undertaking given above, it is directed 
that excluding the employees who have gone to the Courts in 
SMC 5/2018 
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litigation for recovery of their dues, salaries of all other employees 
must be paid by 30.04.2018 without fail. A certificate along with 
affidavit of the owner of the said channel and newspaper shall be 
placed on record stating that all salaries due to the employees have 
been paid. Accordingly, proceedings against Daily Times TV and 
newspaper are dropped.  
 
10. 
 
Daily Nawa-e-Waqt and Waqt TV: There is a 
complaint about non-payment of salaries by Nawa-e-Waqt group 
made by Mr. Matiullah Jan. None is present to represent the 
administration of the said group despite notice to them. We direct 
the Chief Executive of the Group to ensure that all outstanding 
salaries of employees shall be cleared by 30.04.2018 without fail. A 
certificate in this regard along with affidavit of the owner shall be 
placed on the record confirming that all salaries due to employees 
have been paid. Accordingly, proceedings against Daily Nawa-e-
Waqt TV and newspaper are also dropped.  
 
11. 
 
News One TV: There are complaints by the employee 
of the said TV channel regarding the non-payment of their salaries. 
None is present to represent the administration of the channel, 
despite notice. However, we direct that outstanding salaries of all 
employees must be cleared by 30.04.2018 without fail. A certificate 
in this regard along with affidavit of the owner of the said TV 
channel be placed on record confirming that all salaries due to 
employees have been paid. Accordingly, proceedings against News 
One TV are dropped.  
12. 
 
Kashish TV: The representative of the Kashish TV 
states that no salary of any employee is outstanding against the 
said channel and all dues have been cleared till 31.03.2018. This 
SMC 5/2018 
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is also not contested by any person present in Court. Therefore, 
proceedings against Kashish TV are also dropped.  
 
13. 
 
Geo TV: 
It has been complained to us in open 
Court that salaries of the employees of GEO TV channel have not 
been paid for the last few months. We have summoned Mr. Salar 
Janjua, Director HR who in unequivocal terms has accepted that 
some of the employees have not been paid salaries for a few 
months. Be that as it may, to receive a salary for the job done by a 
person is his fundamental right guaranteed by Article 9 of the 
Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973. Thus, the 
Chief Executive/owners of GEO TV channel are directed to clear all 
dues/salaries of their employees by 30.4.2018 without fail. A 
certificate confirming payment to all employees of their dues 
accompanied by an affidavit of the C.E.O. to that effect shall also 
be filed by the next date of hearing. 
 
14. 
 
PTV: Learned counsel representing Mr. Tanvir Iqbal (in 
CMA 2320/2018) states that his client has conducted more than 128 
programs on Current Affairs but he has not been paid from April, 
2016. Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Secretary Information and 
MD of PTV on additional charge, present in Court shall look into 
the matter and redress the grievance of the applicant.  
 
15. 
 
Bol TV:  Mr. Qausain Faisal Mufti, learned ASC (in 
C.M.A. 2188/2018) states that salaries of 192 employees are 
outstanding against Bol TV from September, 2015 which are 
collectively worth more than rupees 35 crores. Most of them have 
resigned from Bol TV. Some of them have joined other channels, 
others are jobless. Let Mr. Sami Ibrahim, Director News Bol TV 
apprise this Court by tomorrow about the outstanding salaries of 
the employee of Bol TV. The learned Additional Attorney General 
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shall also apprise the Court about the appropriate forum for 
redressal of the grievance of such employees. 
 
16. 
 
We, however, direct that all TV Channels and 
newspapers who are not represented today shall clear salaries of 
their employees by April 30, 2018. It may be noted that no 
employee of any other print or electronic media (company/group) 
has come forward to complain about non-payment of his or her 
salary. Therefore, we drop the proceedings against all other TV 
channels as well as newspapers. 
 
17. 
 
We had taken notice of government advertisements 
appearing in the print media carrying pictures of public office 
holders, to determine if public money was being misused for self 
projection and personal aggrandizement. During the course of 
hearing of this matter various other issues cropped up. We 
therefore divided the main issue of media advertisements into three 
separate heads to be dealt with separately. These were:- 
i) 
guidelines for content regulation and discouragement 
of personal projection and self aggrandizement of 
public and political figures; 
 
ii) 
a just, fair and equitable system of distribution of 
government advertisements in the print and electronic 
media amongst different stakeholders, including 
media houses and advertisement companies; and 
 
iii) 
putting in place a system of payment by the 
Government and its Departments/Corporations, etc 
within a reasonable time so that huge amounts of 
money owed by the Government to media outlets 
whether print or electronic do not get stuck over long 
periods 
of 
time 
causing 
hardships 
for 
media 
companies and their workers. 
 
 
18. 
 
Mr. Munir A Malik, learned Sr.ASC was directed by us 
to submit proposed Guidelines for Content Regulation of 
SMC 5/2018 
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Government Advertisement in Print and Electronic Media. These 
Guidelines have been prepared in consultation with all major 
stakeholders of the Electronic & Print Media and with the consent 
and approval of All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) and 
Council of Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE).  
 
19. 
 
We have also heard Mr. Hussain Haroon; Sardar Khan 
Niazi; Mr. Faisal Hussain, ASC; Mr. Zia Shahid as well as Sardar 
Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, Secretary Information and Ms. Asma 
Hamid, Additional Advocate General, Punjab in the matter. All 
concerned have in unison approved and accepted the proposed 
Guidelines which are being incorporated and made part of this 
order in toto as follows:- 
“PROPOSED 
GUIDELINES 
FOR 
CONTENT 
REGULATION 
OF 
GOVERNMENT ADVERTISEMENTS IN PRINT AND ELECTRONIC 
MEDIA 
1. Guiding principles for dissemination of information 
1.1 
Constitutional freedom of speech and right to information 
guaranteed under Articles 19 and 19A of the Constitution 
include freedom of press. The executive ought not use its 
discretionary authority in a manner aimed at encouraging 
censorship or influencing editorial policy of media outlets in 
favour of the political party in power. 
2. Definitions of Classified Advertisement and Government 
Advertisement 
2.1 
Classified Advertisements include public notices, tenders, 
recruitment notices and statutory notifications etc. 
2.2 
Government 
advertisements 
include 
dissemination 
of 
information to members of the public about a government 
program, policy or initiative, or about any public health, 
safety or other matter, that is funded by or on behalf of a 
government, government agency or statutory body, but does 
not include classified advertisements. 
3. 
Scope and Object of the Guidelines for Government 
Advertisements 
3.1 
There shall be no arbitrary use of public funds for 
Government advertisements aimed at projecting political 
SMC 5/2018 
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leaders, political parties, partisan agendas or governments 
without any attendant public purpose. 
4. 
Purpose of Government Advertising 
4.1 
The 
following 
includes 
categories 
of 
permissible 
Government Advertisements. 
i. 
To 
inform 
citizens 
about 
their 
rights, 
obligations, 
entitlements 
and 
responsibilities, 
about 
government 
policies, programmes, services or initiatives. 
ii. 
To inform citizens regarding the policies, programs, 
services, initiatives and decisions of the Government in 
compliance with the principles of parliamentary democracy 
and responsible governance. The public has a right to such 
information. 
iii. 
To encourage public involvement in government decision-
making. 
iv. 
To educate and inform the public about community interests 
and dangers or risks to public health, safety or the 
environment etc. 
v. 
To use publicity to encourage behaviour that is in the public 
interest (for example crime prevention or road safety etc.) 
vi. 
To achieve public policy goals. 
vii. 
To provide information regarding the performance of the 
Government, including information regarding milestones 
achieved and new projects and public interest programs, 
thereby facilitating public accountability. 
viii. 
To ensure that institutions of the Government are visible, 
accessible and accountable to the public they serve. 
ix. 
To communicate and explain changes in the law that affect 
individuals or businesses. 
x. 
To commemorate national heroes not linked to a political 
party. 
5. 
Content Regulation 
5.1 
Prohibitions: 
The following forms of Government Advertisements shall be 
prohibited: 
i. 
Including material that gives prominence to the voice or 
image of the head of an institution or individual, including, 
SMC 5/2018 
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inter alia, a past or incumbent Prime Minister, Chief 
Minister, Minister, member of Parliament or candidate for 
an election to Parliament or portraying or promoting the said 
public office holder in a  manner regarded as excessive or 
gratuitous, except in a limited case of Government 
Advertisements involving a public awareness campaigns in 
pursuit of legitimate state purpose where such voice or 
image is essential to such information, message or 
campaign.  
ii. 
Seeking to influence public support for an electoral 
candidate for election to Parliament or a Provincial 
Assembly or local body. 
iii. 
Including material with the name, logo or slogan of a 
political party. 
iv. 
Including links to the websites of a political party, a 
candidate for election to Parliament, Provincial Assembly or 
local body. 
v. 
Disparaging, ridiculing, attacking the opposition parties, 
political party leaders, state institutions or the government 
of a federating unit. 
6. 
Government Advertisement during the election period: 
6.1  
Government Advertisements shall exclude the category of 
advertisements referred to in Clause 4.1(vii) above during 
the election period until the new government is formed after 
the notification of election results. For purposes of 
determining the election period reference is made to 
following provisions of the Election Act, 2017: 
“180. 
Regulation of publicity.—(1) No political party 
shall run a publicity campaign in print and electronic 
media at the cost of public exchequer.” 
“181. Prohibition of announcement of development 
schemes.—No 
Government 
functionary 
or 
elected 
representative including a local government functionary or 
elected representative, shall announce any development 
scheme for a constituency after the announcement of the 
Election Programme of that constituency.”    
20. 
 
Ms. 
Asma 
Hamid, 
learned 
Additional 
Advocate 
General, Punjab has pointed out that the Government of Punjab 
through its Information Department has discussed and deliberated 
upon the above proposed Guidelines and may wish to suggest 
some improvements and additions in the same. We are of the view 
that the proposed Guidelines in their present form constitute the 
SMC 5/2018 
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basic theme and foundation for content regulation of government 
advertisements in Print and Electronic Media considering the fact 
that a balance has to be stuck between freedom of speech, right to 
information, freedom of press and discouragement of expending 
public funds on personal projection and aggrandizement of 
individuals holding public offices. However, there is bar on any of 
the parties against suggesting improvements and additions which 
may be brought to the notice of this Court through appropriate 
applications. If and when such applications are moved, the 
additions and improvements suggested therein shall be debated, 
deliberated upon and in case found suitable shall be added to the 
existing Guidelines by this Court.  
 
21. 
 
The first issue stands addressed in the form of above 
proposed Guidelines which have been adopted with consent of 
concerned parties including the Government as well as the Media 
Houses. It is therefore directed that all stakeholders shall strictly 
and faithfully comply with, abide by and follow the said Guidelines 
in letter and spirit. It is also reiterated that the Government 
advertisements which include material that gives prominence to 
the holders of public offices or heads of institutions or individuals 
including inter alia “past or incumbent Prime Minister, Chief 
Ministers, Ministers, Members of Parliament or candidates for 
election to the Parliament or portraying or promoting the said 
public office holders in a manner regarded as excessive or 
gratuitous shall be strictly prohibited and shall not be carried by 
any newspaper, television channel, radio broadcast, etc if it is paid 
for by the Government and public funds are expended for the 
same. It is, however, clarified that there shall be no prohibition in 
the case of government advertisements involving public awareness, 
campaigns in pursuit of legitimate State purposes, classified 
SMC 5/2018 
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advertisements and government advertisements as defined and 
explained in the guidelines reproduced above.  
 
22. 
 
As far as the second and third issues are concerned, 
the parties shall furnish their proposals and input in writing which 
shall be taken up at a subsequent stage. In this regard, notice 
shall also be issued to the Pakistan Advertisers Association for the 
next date of hearing, who may provide their input in the matter 
involving the second and third issues enumerated above. Let this 
matter be relisted for hearing on 07.05.2018. 
 
CHIEF JUSTICE 
 
 
 
JUDGE 
 
 
 
JUDGE 
ISLAMABAD. 
4th April, 2018. 
Not approved for reporting 
Mudassar/
 
 
 
