A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting chaired by Senator Fauzia Arshad was held at the parliament house in Islamabad today and discussed matters pertaining to Radio Pakistan and Pakistan Television.
In his remarks on the occasion, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said Radio Pakistan’s mandate is to provide information to the people.
He said Radio Pakistan is not a commercial organization. He mentioned that they have requested the Energy Ministry not to charge commercial rates on Radio Pakistan for electricity bills.
The Information Minister said the PTV is uploading its quality programs on social media. He said the PTV needs to increase its viewership on the social media.
Secretary Information and Broadcasting, Shahera Shahid highlighted the financial challenges of PTV, noting the organization’s efforts to address them.
She informed that the actual strength of PTV is 4100 and the organization has more than 3000 pensioners, adding that pensione
rs are paid through Contributory Funds.
She further informed that eight to nine billion rupees per year are collected through 35 rupees levied in the electricity bills while four to four to six billion rupees per year earned through programming.
The Ministry underlined that 15 rupees is proposed to be added to the Electricity Bill apart from 35 Rupees while DG PBC informed that the Federal Government has also been requested to charge every vehicle having a 5 Rupee for Radio on entry and exit points on motorways.
Senator Irfan Siddiqui emphasized the need for motivation and willpower within PTV’s talented staff to maximize the organization’s potential.
A reform proposal for all attached departments under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was also tabled during the meeting.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks, appreciating the committee’s efforts and the commitment of all involved parties to address critical issues in the realm of information and broadcasting.
Source: Radio Pakistan
