ISLAMABAD:Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting has asked Radio Pakistan’s management to furnish a business plan for the uplift of the national broadcaster.
Its meeting was held at Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Islamabad on Monday with Chairman Faisal Javed in the chair. The committee said that the report on the sales and marketing team of Radio Pakistan be presented in the next three days.
Faisal Javed suggested the national broadcaster can efficiently use its buildings to generate revenue. He appreciated the professionalism of Radio Pakistan’s employees as well as and their adoption of digital technology and the latest gadgets.
He said Radio Pakistan can prove to be an information platform for the entire route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.
He said Radio Pakistan had also a legacy of live cricket commentary and it should rediscover the same by hiring the best people in the field. He said this could prove to be an important source of revenue for the organization.
The standing committee directed Radio Pakistan to start a Tajweed Quran program from next Monday. It also asked the organization to ensure timely payment of salaries, hiring and pensions to the employees.
Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said Radio Pakistan is an important state organ and it will be made a vibrant and effective medium. There are instructions of the Prime Minister to empower and turn around this organization.
She said the national broadcaster has also a special linkage with the national security. She said it is only the voice of Radio Pakistan that is reaching out to the oppressed Kashmiri people in Occupied Kashmir.
She said India has blocked the international media from covering the dire situation in Occupied Kashmir but it has failed to block the transmission of Radio Pakistan reaching the valley regardless of all its tactics.
The Special Assistant said our next target is to install its transmitters in the tribal districts to promote the national narrative and counter the negative propaganda from across the border. She said Radio Pakistan is not only the defender of our ideological borders but is also promoting our true social, cultural and religious values.
She said it has also been decided to merge the boards of Radio Pakistan and PTV to improve their performance. She said the board comprising of professional and competent people will be fully authorized to take financial and administrative decisions.
She said under the new advertising policy, Radio Pakistan and the PTV will also be given their share in government advertisements. Regarding the upgradation of the equipment of Radio Pakistan, she said countries such as Turkey, China and Japan have assured to provide assistance to fill the technological gaps of the state owned radio.
On the occasion, the committee members highlighted the significance of the PBC and stressed that its content and transmission should be further improved.
Secretary Information and Broadcasting Zahida Parveen said the government will have to give a bailout package to the organization to clear its current liabilities. She mentioned that the state broadcasters nowhere in the world make profits rather they are supported by the governments.
Director General Radio Pakistan Samina Waqar gave a detailed briefing to the committee about the working of Radio Pakistan.
She said we are moving from analogue to digitalization for which a digital migration policy has been prepared. She said this project to be completed in three phases will cost four billion rupees. The project will be executed after the approval of the cabinet and provision of requisite funds.