By Rehan Khan
ISLAMABAD, Sep 10 (APP): The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) on Tuesday declared the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Employees Union elections as lawful and in accordance with its Constitution, rejecting the objections raised by the Grand Alliance.
Following the court’s decision, celebrations were held at APP Headquarters and all regional bureaus and stations, with various media organizations extending their congratulations to the union.
The APP Employees Union elections were held on March 29, resulting in the election of Malik Khizar Zaman as President by big marjin, with Nadeem Iqbal as General Secretary, Khalid Iqbal Rabbani as Joint Secretary, and 11 executive members from the Group.
The Election Commission had also issued a formal notification of the results. However, the Grand Alliance, which lost the elections, filed a case with the NIRC, challenging the outcome on several grounds.
Today, the NIRC heard the case, where APP Employees Union’s legal counsel, Advocate Yaqub Mastoi, effectively countered all the objections raised by the opposition.
After reviewing the arguments, the court delivered a brief judgment, affirming the legality of the APP Employees Union elections and dismissing the Grand Alliance’s assertions. The court also terminated the membership of two honorary union members.
Following the favorable verdict, APP employees termed the decision as a victory for the union and workers. They congratulated President Malik Khizar Zaman, General Secretary Nadeem Iqbal, Joint Secretary Khalid Iqbal Rabbani, and all elected representatives.
They expressed their full confidence in the leadership of APP Workers Ittehad Chairman Malik Saleem Awan, appreciating their efforts to lead the organization towards progress, address workers’ issues, and eliminate corruption under the leadership of Managing Director Muhammad Asim Kichi.
The journalist fraternity nationwide has extended their congratulations to APP Employees Union’s leadership, hailing the verdict as a victory for fair-play and justice.
