KARACHI: PFUJ President GM Jamali expressing his sorrow on the sad demise of senior journalist Shafiuddin Ashraf has said that his contribution in the field of journalism would be remembered.
Conveying his deepest sympathy to the grieving family he prayed for the departed soul. Shafiuddin Ashraf was chairman All Pakistan Newspapers Confederation (APNEC) and General Secretary of the Dawn Employee’s Union.
Meanwhile, newly elected Vice President PFUJ and Assistant Secretary-General of All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) Sheher Bano has expressed her deep sorrow and grief over the sad demise of the great trade unionist Shafiuddin Ashraf. Maintaining that Shafiuddin Ashraf’s death is a great loss to trade union movement in Pakistan, Sheher Bano held: “Shafiuddin sahib was a strong voice for the voiceless workers. He spent his entire life for raising awareness about the laws governing media industry and fought for the rights of workers. He always stood by the workers – whether it was the matter of implementing the wage board or extending a helping to a journalist in court cases he always helped them with sincerity and honesty.” Terming Ashraf’s death a great blow to the trade union movement, Sheher Bano stated: “Media is passing through a critical juncture where jobs of many journalists are at stake. In such times media fraternity has lost a sincere fighter of journalists’ rights.” She said that the void created by the death of Shafiuddin Ashraf will never be filled. “He was a trade unionist par excellence and such people are born in centuries.” Sheher Bano said that Ashraf’s death was a personal loss too for her: “He always called me his sister. He was my mentor and whenever I got stuck in any legal issue I used to call him or visit him. Even before the last hearing in the Implementation Tribunal for Newspapers Employees (ITNE) I visited him in the hospital and motivated him to be in the court in the next hearing. “Going to the court together I realized how excited he was. He had already done preparation for 8th wakeboard award and he told me some details about it. But sadly he will not be in this world to see the implementation of 8th Wage Board,” she said with a sigh.
Relevant:
i) Zardari: Former President Asif Ali Zardari Friday expressed profound grief over the passing away of Shafiuddin Ashraf. In a condolence message, Asif Zardari paid tribute to the deceased, saying, late Shafiuddin was a devoted media worker who had daringly faced difficult time but kept on struggling for the rights of the media workers. Former Presiden said, his services for the media industry, particularly the workers, would always be remembered by the journalists. Zardari said late Shafiuddin had played a key role to ensure wage board award for the journalist community. He said that late Shafiuddin’s death had created such a vacuum that might never be filled. He prayed for eternal rest for the departed soul of late Shafiuddin and grant of patience to the aggrieved family to bear the irreparable loss with equanimity.
ii) Bilawal: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday expressed profound grief over the passing away of Shafiuddin Ashraf. In a condolence message, the PPP Chairman paid tribute to the deceased and said that late Shafiuddin was a devoted media worker who had daringly faced difficult time but kept on struggling for the rights of the media workers. His services for the media industry, particularly the workers, would always be remembered by the journalists, the PPP Chairman added. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the late Shafiuddin’s death has created such a vacuum that might never be filled. His struggle regarding the implementation of the Wage Board Award for the working journalists and workers at the desk was one such a shining deed, which will always be remembered. He prayed for eternal rest for the departed soul of late Shafiuddin and grant of patience to the aggrieved family to bear the irreparable loss with equanimity.
