Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday said work on construction of 26-storey Islamabad Media Tower and Pakistan Television Centre at Multan would be started soon.
The minister stated this while presiding over a briefing to review progress on various projects being undertaken by the sub-ordinate offices of the Ministry of Information.
The projects include Islamabad Media Tower, Direct-to-Home service, setting up of PTV Centre Multan and re-strengthening of Sindhi and Arabic services by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
Secretary Information and Broadcasting Shahid Rafi, Additional Secretary of the Ministry Ahsan Yusaf, Managing Director PTV Arshad Khan, Managing Director APP Fazal-ur-Rehman Malik, and Director General Internal Publicity Wing Chaudhry Rashid Ahmed were present in the briefing.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed directed the Managing Director PTV to immediately start work on setting up of PTV Centre Multan without any delay.
He said this step will go a long way in providing direct access for the people of the southern part of Punjab and adjoining areas to information besides providing an opportunity to the talented people of the area at their door step.
He said Islamabad Media Tower would help promote electronic media activity by providing various facilities to the electronic channels under one roof.
The minister was apprised that the world class smart building of Media Tower having a total covered area of 205,000 square feet would be constructed at a specified plot in the Blue Area. The design and other architectural formalities for the building have already been completed while other necessary formalities would soon be finalised, he was told.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed advised the concerned quarters to start the DTH service as soon as possible, thus providing a bouquet of around 50 channels to the viewers under this service.
He appreciated the work of APP with special regard to English, Urdu and photo services of the organisation. He also recommended various development projects for APP with the aim to improve Sindhi, and Arabic services of the news agency.
The minister directed that the country's premier news agency should undertake extensive news exchange programmes with the news agencies of the other countries.
Secretary Information informed the minister that Italy has shown keen interest in the news exchange programme with Pakistan and soon an agreement in this behalf would be reached.