ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday deferred its decision on restructuring and revamping of the Pakistan Television (PTV) Corporation along with the proposal to enhance its licence fee.
In a post-cabinet briefing, Information Minister Shibli Faraz said this proposal was discussed in the cabinet in the wake of the financial difficulties being faced by the PTV.
"The PTV used to be a great institution with an illustrious history like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM)." These all were symbols of [Pakistan's] honour. As time passed, however, the successive governments, instead of strengthening and improving these institutions, destroyed them," he said.
The PTV then became an institution, wherein, there were political hirings [including those] from the PPP and the PML-N. The mismanagement and unmerited hiring, consequently brought the institution down to the ground, he said.
The minister added that the PTI-led government now required a huge investment in order to rebrand the PTV as the state's representative, and a voice of Pakistan.
"We also cannot pay the pensions because of a large number of pensioners - at least 3,000 - who have yet to be paid pensions. So, to fix all the management and technical issues, including outdated cameras and no production work going on, we are forced to come to this decision, rather proposal. "Now, as far as building and restructuring is concerned, planning has already been completed," Faraz said, adding that nothing could be done without the resources, especially when the issues of pensions, salaries, and new equipment had to be solved.
"Obviously, that requires a big investment and there will be further discussion on this matter [later] and opinions will be sought. Therefore, the matter has been deferred to next week," he added.
He further said restructuring of the PTV had been approved and the proposal regarding enhancing PTV licence fee had been deferred for detailed deliberations over the matter.
The minister said the cabinet also appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision of making it compulsory for public office holders to declare their assets to ensure transparency and to increase people's confidence in their representatives.
Noting that "this has never been done before", Faraz said, individual steps were the start of a long journey, including transparency for not only the elected public representatives but advisers and special assistants as well, since they were part of the government and the Cabinet.
The condition of declaring assets was applicable on the prime minister's advisers and special assistants as well.
"I believe the entire Cabinet lauded the prime minister's decision and it was stressed that we would go forward with this philosophy," he said.
Faraz said the prime minister had also directed to pay all the outstanding amounts of media houses by next week.
Speaking about the wheat and flour crises, the federal minister said Prime Minister Imran Khan had inquired about the matter from the relevant ministry.
"The government is currently trying to ensure flour prices do not increase.
"Wheat imports of 1.5 million tonnes were allowed to close the gap between supply and demand," he said, adding that there was a shortage of 1.5 million tonnes at one point in time.
However, some tonnes' worth of orders had been processed, he added.
The minister said hoarding was "hostility towards society", and urged people to report those who were engaged in such menace.
Action would be taken against hoarders, he promised.
Faraz noted that the government of Sindh would be asked not to charge taxes on wheat imports and instead facilitate them further.
The minister said cabinet also approved the Treasury Single Account Rules 2020, amendments in the Anti-Money Laundering Bill 2020, amendments in Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, and the National Health Emergency Response Act, 2020.
The minister said a report regarding Ehsaas Emergency Cash Programme was also presented before the cabinet.
He said the prime minister appreciated Special Assistant on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr Sania Nishtar and her entire team for transferring cash assistance to the deserving people in a transparent manner and beyond political consideration.
Responding to a question regarding Ehsaas programme's political gain to the ruling PTI, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan said the Ehsaas programme was not aimed at gaining political edge but was to please Almighty God.
With regards to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, he said Pakistan was able to control it "due to Prime Minister Imran Khan's strategy".
During the crisis, the government observed that there would have been challenges had the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) not existed, he added.
"Take precautions on Eidul Azha, so that the coronavirus situation does not worsen," he stressed during the press conference, adding that people needed to take a lot of care during the upcoming festivities.
While responding to a question, the information minister said that it was the government's responsibility to safely recover "kidnapped" journalist Matiullah Jan.
He spoke to Interior Minister Ijaz Shah about the incident and added that "it is confirmed that [Jan] has been kidnapped".
"I don't have the complete details right now; however, we are trying hard to locate his whereabouts," he said, adding that it was the government's responsibility to ensure his safe recovery and it would fulfill this responsibility.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020