ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was told on Wednesday that out of total Rs1.15 billion pending dues from 2013 to 2018, Rs1.004 billion was paid to electronic and print media owners on account of advertisements on March 20, 2020.

At a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting, which met here with Senator Faisal Javed Khan, Secretary Information Akbar Hussain Durrani said that "99 percent" payment had been made to the owners as the issue was also made in the cabinet meeting.

He said that after the 15 percent deduction, concerned advertising agencies given the remaining 85 percent amount to the media houses.

The Principal Information Officer, Shahera Shahid, said the government wanted that the issue of payment of advertisement dues of media organisations and payment of salaries of journalists should be linked.

She said that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) gave loan facility to renowned media organisations during the coronavirus pandemic and leading media outlets availed the facility to pay salaries to their employees.

The committee expressed concern over the non-payment and delay in salaries to journalists and job losses in media industry. The committee was told that the issues regarding outstanding dues on account of advertisements was taken up by all government entities on the direction of the prime minister, which resultantly expedited the process of payments to media organisations.

The committee was given a briefing on the structure and working of digital media wing in the Information Ministry.

Senator Musadik Malik raised the issue regarding to broadcast of incorrect map of Pakistan during live transmissions of Pakistan Television.

Senator Pervez Rashid also asked about the action taken against those involved in airing the programme on PTV.

The MD said that the PTV management took serious notice and immediately constituted an inquiry committee for probing the "mishap".

He said that on showing of wrong map of Pakistan on PTV, two producers were terminated, and the Islamabad High Court also upheld the decision of their termination.

The senators expressed their dismay on discrimination on the action taken against the employees on the basis of the inquiry report, and asked the MD to explain his stance in the next meeting.

The committee was also given a detailed briefing on structure and programming of Shalimar Television Network (STN) and the Directorate of Electronic Media and Publications.

It was told that STN was launching two new channels on agriculture and children.

The committee was told that the pending honorarium of employees of attached departments of the Information Ministry would be paid after funds were granted by the Ministry of Finance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020