About us
HISTORY
The earliest known journalistic product was a news sheet circulated in ancient Rome: the Acta Diurna, said to date from before 59 BCE. The Acta Diurna recorded important daily events such as public speeches. It was published daily and hung in prominent places.
In recent history IFJ the world’s largest organization of journalists, established in 1926 in Paris.
IFJ represents 600,000 media professionals from 187 trade unions and associations in more than 140 countries. It speaks for journalists within the United Nations system and within the international trade union movement. It speaks for journalists within the United Nations system and within the international trade union movement. The organization was relaunched as the International Organization of Journalists (IOJ) in 1946, but lost its Western members to the Cold War and re-emerged in its present form in 1952 in Brussels.
In Pakistan the constitution of the PFUJ (Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists) was first adopted in Karachi in April 1950 at the Pakistan Working Journalists Convention, in a meeting opened by Muhammad Zafarullah Khan. The last affiliate union adopted the constitution on August 2, thus marking the formal beginning of the union. Muhammad Abdul Shakoor became the first president and Israr Ahmad (journalist) its first secretary general.
In Feb 2014, a merger of PFUJ and All Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) was announced to consolidate and strengthen the two journalism organizations.
PUJ (Punjab Union of Journalists) the largest union of journalists in Punjab is the subsidiary of PFJU working for the welfare of Journalist community from last 5 decades. Currently headed by Zahid Rafiq Bhatti (President).
Founders
MINHAJ BARNA
Minhaj Muhamad Khan Afridi known as Minhaj Barna was a Pakistani veteran journalist and a trade union leader. He was best known for his inspiring leadership and unrelenting struggle for press freedom during the rules of military dictatorships in Pakistan. From 1977 to 1988, during General Zia Ul-Haq’s oppressive military regime. Pakistani media described him as an “icon of struggle.”
He was the elder brother of Meraj Muhammad Khan, a well-known left-wing politician. He received the award “Tamgha-i-Imtiaz” by the Government of Pakistan for his contributions to journalism in 2015.
He was born in 1923 in a conservative Rohilkhand Pathan family in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and British India. He obtained his primary education in Ahmadabad, later he moved to Bombay and worked as a teacher. After that, he went to Delhi, where he joined the Jamia Millia University and received his graduation degree. He also became the member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) to fight against the British rule of India.
He migrated with his family to Pakistan in 1949, where he joined several newspapers such as the “Daily Imroze”, “the Pakistan Times” and “The Muslim”. He also worked for the Associated Press of Pakistan news agency as its correspondent in London, England. It was his last assignment as a journalist.
His major roles were as secretary-general and president of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ). He was first elected for these positions in 1969. He was also the founder-president of All-Pakistan Newspaper Employees Confederation (APNEC) that includes the union of journalists and combined unions of newspaper organizations.
He played a key role in a historic nationwide labor strike that lasted for 10 days in 1970. As a result, an act for protection of rights of journalists was made part of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan. His health suffered a harmful blow when he, as a trade union leader, went on the longest hunger strike that any political party leader or group had ever observed. He died at a private hospital in Islamabad on 15th January 2011.
NISAR USMANI
Nisar Usmani, a renowned journalist and freedom of speech leader of Pakistan, was born in 1930 in Mauza Syed Sarwan, District Allahabad. His father Anwar Haq was the private secretary of Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Sir Shah Muhammad Sulaiman. Nisar Usmani studied in Kanpur and settled first in Bahawalnagar and then in Lahore after the establishment of Pakistan. Nisar Usmani started his career in the field of teaching. After various part-time jobs, he entered the field of practical journalism in 1956 and was associated with News Agency UPP, Daily Azad Dhaka and Lahore Bureau of Daily Dawn Karachi. Nisar Usmani was not only the foremost reporter of Pakistan but also the bearer of the rights of journalists. He always stood for freedom of speech and basic economic rights of journalists. He played a leading role in getting the right to unionize in newspapers. In 1952, he actively participated in the establishment of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists. He raised his voice in every regime for the elevation of journalistic values and clashed with every autocratic ruler. He was one of the founders of the Human Rights Commission and served as its Vice President from 1990 to 1993. Mr. Nisar Usmani died on September 4, 1994 in Lahore. He is buried in the cemetery of Miani Sahib in Lahore. After his death, the Government of Pakistan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Excellence on August 14, 1997, while the Human Rights Commission issued an award in his name, which is given to writers who do pen jihad.
IA RAHMAN
Ibn Abdul Rahman (IA Rahman) was associated with journalism for almost 65 years, he highlighted various problems of the country through the platform of journalism. IA Rehman was the Director of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan for almost two decades. Apart from this, IA Rehman was also the General Secretary in HRCP till 2017.
Death
IA Rahman was suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure. He was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Lahore for some time and passed away on 12 April 2021 in Lahore.
M ZIAUDDIN
Muhammad Ziauddin was a Pakistani journalist, economist and historian. He was born in 1938 in Madras. He worked for Pakistan Economist, Morning News, The Muslim, Dawn, The News and The Express Tribune. He passed away on 29 November 2021 at his residence in Islamabad
HUSSAIN NAQI
Muhammad Ziauddin was a Pakistani journalist, economist and historian. He was born in 1938 in Madras. He worked for Pakistan Economist, Morning News, The Muslim, Dawn, The News and The Express Tribune. He passed away on 29 November 2021 at his residence in Islamabad
Our Mother Body - PFUJ
AFZAL BUTT
President Pakistan Federal Union of Journalits (PFUJ )
ARSHAD ANSARI
The Secretary General Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), Former President Lahore Press Club and Special Correspondent GEO News (Jang group). He is the only journalist in Pakistan who got elected 11 times as the president of Lahore press club and has done remarkable work for the welfare of journalist community.