ISLAMABAD (Azmatullah Khan): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, on Monday, promised the protesting journalist community of halting government advertisements of the Suno Network over the forced layoff of workers.
According to sources, Suno News abruptly dismissed 170 employees, including those from the Islamabad bureau, on May 9, 2026, without paying their April salaries.
Sources say that those dismissed include 6 reporters, 4 cameramen, copy editors, 10 technical experts, drivers, receptionists and make-up artists from the Islamabad bureau. All these media professionals were dismissed in one go without any prior notice.
Following the forced expulsion of the workers from jobs, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Journalists Rights Protection Forum and other journalistic organisations condemned the forced layoff and demanded immediate reinstatement of the staff. A strong response also came from Social Media and journalistic circles, prompting Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar to issue an order to immediately stop government advertisements on Snow TV on May 11, 2026.
